Idioms are vibrant expressions that sprinkle our language with creativity, often conveying meanings far beyond the literal words. They capture the essence of human experience, especially when it comes to the fleeting nature of time. For anyone looking to enrich their vocabulary, idioms about time passing offer a fascinating way to describe how moments slip by, how opportunities come and go, or how life moves forward. These phrases are not only common in everyday conversations but also carry a certain charm that makes them memorable and impactful. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone who loves language, learning these idioms can make your communication more engaging and expressive. In this blog post, we’ll explore 45 idioms related to time passing, their meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to say them. Plus, we’ve included a fun exercise to help you practice these idioms and make them a natural part of your speech. Let’s dive into the timeless world of idioms!
Idioms About Time Passing
1. Time flies when you’re having fun
Meaning: Time seems to pass quickly when you’re enjoying yourself.
In a Sentence: I couldn’t believe it was midnight already—time flies when you’re having fun at a great party!
Other Ways to Say: Time zooms by, The clock races.
2. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Something happens very quickly.
In a Sentence: The summer vacation was over in the blink of an eye, and we were back to school before we knew it.
Other Ways to Say: In a flash, In a heartbeat.
3. The sands of time
Meaning: Refers to the inevitable passage of time, like sand slipping through an hourglass.
In a Sentence: As the sands of time slipped away, she realized how precious every moment with her family was.
Other Ways to Say: The march of time, Time’s flow.
4. Time waits for no one
Meaning: Time continues to pass regardless of circumstances or readiness.
In a Sentence: I kept procrastinating, but time waits for no one, and the deadline arrived sooner than I expected.
Other Ways to Say: Time moves on, The clock doesn’t stop.
5. A stitch in time saves nine
Meaning: Taking action early prevents bigger problems later.
In a Sentence: Fixing the small leak now is a stitch in time saves nine, avoiding costly repairs down the road.
Other Ways to Say: Act early, Prevent bigger issues.
6. Beat the clock
Meaning: To finish something before the deadline or time runs out.
In a Sentence: We worked tirelessly to beat the clock and submit our project proposal before the funding deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Outrun the clock, Finish in time.
7. Time is of the essence
Meaning: Time is critical, and action must be taken quickly.
In a Sentence: In the emergency room, time is of the essence, and every second counts to save a patient’s life.
Other Ways to Say: Time is critical, Every moment matters.
8. Like clockwork
Meaning: Happening regularly or predictably, as if on a schedule.
In a Sentence: Every morning, she wakes up at 6 a.m. and starts her day like clockwork, never missing a beat.
Other Ways to Say: On schedule, Like a well-oiled machine.
9. Turn back the clock
Meaning: To wish you could return to an earlier time.
In a Sentence: If I could turn back the clock, I’d relive those carefree summer days spent with my childhood friends.
Other Ways to Say: Go back in time, Rewind time.
10. Time is money
Meaning: Time is valuable, and wasting it is like wasting money.
In a Sentence: I can’t afford to sit around chatting all day—time is money, and I have a business to run!
Other Ways to Say: Time is valuable, Every second counts.
11. On borrowed time
Meaning: Living or continuing longer than expected.
In a Sentence: After surviving the accident, he felt like he was living on borrowed time and cherished every moment.
Other Ways to Say: Extra time, Living beyond expectation.
12. In the nick of time
Meaning: Just at the right moment, before it’s too late.
In a Sentence: She arrived at the airport in the nick of time, just as the final boarding call was announced.
Other Ways to Say: Just in time, At the last second.
13. Against the clock
Meaning: Rushing to meet a tight deadline.
In a Sentence: We were working against the clock to finish the group presentation before the class started.
Other Ways to Say: Racing against time, Under time pressure.
14. Time on your hands
Meaning: Having extra time with nothing to do.
In a Sentence: With the weekend free, I had too much time on my hands and decided to start a new hobby.
Other Ways to Say: Free time, Idle hours.
15. Kill time
Meaning: To pass time aimlessly while waiting for something.
In a Sentence: While waiting for the delayed train, we killed time by playing cards on the platform.
Other Ways to Say: Pass the time, Waste time.
16. Behind the times
Meaning: Outdated or not keeping up with current trends.
In a Sentence: His old flip phone made him seem behind the times compared to everyone else’s smartphones.
Other Ways to Say: Out of date, Old-fashioned.
17. Time heals all wounds
Meaning: Emotional pain lessens with the passage of time.
In a Sentence: After the breakup, her friends reminded her that time heals all wounds, and she’d feel better soon.
Other Ways to Say: Time mends pain, Healing takes time.
18. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
In a Sentence: We only get to visit our grandparents once in a blue moon because they live so far away.
Other Ways to Say: Rarely, Hardly ever.
19. Time and tide wait for no man
Meaning: Time and opportunities keep moving forward, regardless of delays.
In a Sentence: You can’t wait forever to chase your dreams—time and tide wait for no man, so act now!
Other Ways to Say: Time doesn’t stop, Opportunities pass.
20. In the fullness of time
Meaning: At the right or appropriate moment, after time has passed.
In a Sentence: In the fullness of time, we’ll understand why things happened the way they did during that chaotic year.
Other Ways to Say: In due time, Eventually.
21. Run out of time
Meaning: To no longer have enough time to complete something.
In a Sentence: I ran out of time during the exam and couldn’t finish the last two questions.
Other Ways to Say: Out of time, Time’s up.
22. Make up for lost time
Meaning: To compensate for time that was wasted or missed.
In a Sentence: After being apart for years, they spent the whole weekend together to make up for lost time.
Other Ways to Say: Catch up, Reclaim lost moments.
23. Time’s a-wasting
Meaning: Time is being wasted and action is needed.
In a Sentence: Come on, let’s get moving—time’s a-wasting, and we have a lot to do before the event!
Other Ways to Say: Hurry up, Time’s slipping away.
24. The time is ripe
Meaning: The perfect moment has arrived to take action.
In a Sentence: With the market booming, the time is ripe to launch our new product.
Other Ways to Say: The moment is right, Perfect timing.
25. Stand the test of time
Meaning: To remain valuable or relevant over a long period.
In a Sentence: Classic novels like Pride and Prejudice have stood the test of time and are still loved today.
Other Ways to Say: Endure over time, Last forever.
26. Time is ticking
Meaning: Time is running out quickly.
In a Sentence: We need to decide soon because time is ticking, and the offer expires tomorrow.
Other Ways to Say: The clock is running, Time’s running out.
27. Bide your time
Meaning: To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
In a Sentence: She decided to bide her time and wait for a better job offer before leaving her current role.
Other Ways to Say: Wait patiently, Hold off.
28. Time out of mind
Meaning: For a very long time, beyond memory.
In a Sentence: This tradition has been celebrated in our village time out of mind, passed down through generations.
Other Ways to Say: Forever, Since time immemorial.
29. Lose track of time
Meaning: To become unaware of how much time has passed.
In a Sentence: While reading my favorite book, I lost track of time and missed dinner with my family.
Other Ways to Say: Forget the time, Get lost in the moment.
30. A race against time
Meaning: A situation requiring urgent action to meet a deadline.
In a Sentence: Rescuing the hikers before dark was a race against time for the search team.
Other Ways to Say: Time crunch, Hurry against the clock.
31. Keep time
Meaning: To track or measure time accurately, often with a device.
In a Sentence: My old watch still keeps time perfectly, even after years of daily use.
Other Ways to Say: Track time, Stay on schedule.
32. Mark time
Meaning: To wait or pass time without making progress.
In a Sentence: While waiting for the new project to start, we were just marking time with busywork.
Other Ways to Say: Stall, Pass time idly.
33. Time after time
Meaning: Repeatedly, over and over again.
In a Sentence: Time after time, she proved she was the best candidate for the leadership role.
Other Ways to Say: Again and again, Repeatedly.
34. Crunch time
Meaning: A critical period when time is limited and pressure is high.
In a Sentence: With only two days left to finish the group assignment, it’s crunch time for our team.
Other Ways to Say: Critical moment, Make-or-break time.
35. Time’s up
Meaning: The allocated time for something has ended.
In a Sentence: The teacher shouted, “Time’s up!” and we had to put our pencils down during the test.
Other Ways to Say: Time’s over, Deadline reached.
36. In no time
Meaning: Very quickly or soon.
In a Sentence: With everyone helping, we cleaned up the party mess in no time and were ready for guests again.
Other Ways to Say: Quickly, In a jiffy.
37. Time to kill
Meaning: Extra time to spend idly.
In a Sentence: With two hours of time to kill before the movie, we wandered around the mall.
Other Ways to Say: Spare time, Free time.
38. The eleventh hour
Meaning: The last possible moment before it’s too late.
In a Sentence: They reached an agreement at the eleventh hour, just before the contract was canceled.
Other Ways to Say: Last minute, Final moment.
39. A matter of time
Meaning: Something that will inevitably happen, just not yet.
In a Sentence: It’s only a matter of time before she gets promoted, given her excellent performance.
Other Ways to Say: Just a question of time, Inevitable.
40. Time is on your side
Meaning: You have plenty of time to achieve something.
In a Sentence: Don’t rush your decision—time is on your side, and you can think it over carefully.
Other Ways to Say: No hurry, Plenty of time.
41. Burn daylight
Meaning: To waste time during the day.
In a Sentence: Let’s not burn daylight chatting; we need to finish painting the room before sunset.
Other Ways to Say: Waste time, Dawdle.
42. Watch the clock
Meaning: To constantly check the time, often impatiently.
In a Sentence: He was so bored at work that he spent the whole afternoon watching the clock.
Other Ways to Say: Clock-watch, Count the minutes.
43. Time drags on
Meaning: Time feels like it’s passing very slowly.
In a Sentence: During the long lecture, time dragged on, and I could barely stay awake.
Other Ways to Say: Time crawls, Feels like forever.
44. Pass the time of day
Meaning: To have a casual conversation to fill time.
In a Sentence: While waiting for the bus, we passed the time of day by chatting about the weather.
Other Ways to Say: Make small talk, Chat idly.
45. Give the time of day
Meaning: To acknowledge or pay attention to someone.
In a Sentence: After our argument, he wouldn’t even give me the time of day when we passed in the hallway.
Other Ways to Say: Acknowledge, Pay attention.
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- I didn’t realize how late it was because I was having so much fun—time _______ when you’re enjoying yourself!
- We finished the project _______ the nick of time, just before the teacher collected it.
- With no tasks to do, I had too much _______ on my hands and started reorganizing my desk.
- The old house has _______ the test of time and still looks as beautiful as it did decades ago.
- We were working _______ the clock to meet the tight deadline for the charity event.
- If you keep procrastinating, you’ll _______ out of time and miss the application deadline.
- She decided to _______ her time and wait for the perfect moment to ask for a raise.
- The mistake was small, but fixing it now is a _______ in time saves nine.
- After years apart, they spent the whole day together to _______ up for lost time.
- With the clock ticking, it’s _______ time, and we need to finalize our plans now.
- That rare comet only appears _______ in a blue moon, so don’t miss it tonight!
- During the boring meeting, time _______ on, and I couldn’t wait for it to end.
- Don’t _______ daylight—let’s start the hike before it gets too hot!
- I got so caught up in the movie that I completely _______ track of time.
- The decision will come _______ the fullness of time, so be patient for now.
Answers:
flies, in, time, stood, against, run, bide, stitch, make, crunch, once, dragged, burn, lost, in
Conclusion
Idioms about time passing are a captivating way to describe the fleeting nature of moments, deadlines, and opportunities. They add depth and color to your conversations, making them more engaging and relatable. By incorporating these 45 idioms into your daily speech, you can express the passage of time in creative ways, whether you’re talking about rushing to meet a deadline, savoring a joyful moment, or reflecting on life’s inevitable flow. Practice these idioms in conversations with friends, at work, or in writing to make them second nature. Over time, they’ll become a seamless part of your language, helping you communicate with flair and precision. Keep exploring the world of idioms, and let them bring your words to life!