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Meaning & use

meantime

noun, adverb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈmiːntaɪm/
US/ˈminˌtaɪm/

Meanings

  1. nounsingular

    The time that passes between two events or between now and some later point.

    Grammar: Almost always in the meantime with the: In the meantime, we will wait.

    Patterns

    • in the meantime
    • for the meantime

    The repairs will take a week, and in the meantime you can use my car.

    I will call the bank tomorrow; in the meantime, please keep the receipt.

    The package arrives on Friday, so in the meantime we will make do.

  2. adverbnot comparableformal

    During the time between two events; at the same time as something else is happening.

    Grammar: Often starts a sentence and is followed by a comma: Meantime, the rain continued.

    Patterns

    • meantime, someone does something

    The chef prepared the sauce; meantime, the waiter set the table.

    The results arrive next week. Meantime, keep practicing.

    Dinner takes an hour. Meantime, we can watch a show.

Common combinations

in the meantime
In the meantime, please take a seat.
in the meantime, though
We cannot fix it today; in the meantime, though, we can offer a loan laptop.
for the meantime
Let us leave it as it is for the meantime.
meantime, back at the office
Meantime, back at the office, the phones kept ringing.
what to do in the meantime
The nurse explained what to do in the meantime.

Synonyms and how they differ

meanwhile
Meanwhile is the more common word, especially for starting a sentence, and meantime sounds slightly more formal.
interim
Interim is a formal noun or adjective for a temporary period, such as an interim report.
in the interim
In the interim is a formal alternative to in the meantime and is common in business writing.
for now
For now is a casual phrase that means until something changes.

Word family

meanwhile adverb
during the time between two events
mean time noun
average solar time, as in Greenwich Mean Time
interim noun
the time between two events
meantimes noun
rare plural form

Commonly confused: meantime or mean time? meantime or meanwhile?

meantime vs mean time

Written as two words, mean time is an average, as in Greenwich Mean Time, and it is not the same as meantime.

meantime vs meanwhile

Meanwhile is an adverb of the same meaning and is more common, whereas meantime is mostly used in the fixed phrase in the meantime.

Practice

Which phrase correctly completes: The oven takes ten minutes to heat; ___, you can chop the onions.

Make it your own

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