uptime

American

[uhp-tahym] / ˈʌpˌtaɪm /

noun

the time during which a machine or piece of equipment, as a computer, is operating or can be operated.
the time during which an employee is actually working.

uptime British

/ ˈʌpˌtaɪm /

noun

commerce time during which a machine, such as a computer, actually operates

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of uptime

1955–60; up (in sense “operating”) + time

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As of April 8, Anthropic’s Claude API had a 98.95% uptime rate in the last 90 days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

While Proton VPN connects quickly and maintains solid uptime, it didn’t outperform competitors in terms of raw speed or latency.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

But IBM’s z17 mainframe has still proved popular, Daryanani added, with customers seemingly gravitating toward benefits like 100% uptime, quality encryption and cost efficiencies.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026

Unlike previous such grants, these insist on 95% uptime performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2024

It is important to remember the many benefits of cloud computing, says Prof Lehdonvirta, particularly when it comes to uptime, a measure of how long a computer system works without failing.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023