Meaning & use
time it right
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
To choose or arrange the exact moment for doing something so that it has the best effect.
Grammar: The pronoun 'it' is fixed inside the phrase; you can also say 'time things right' or 'timed it right'.
Patterns
- time it right
- time something right
- timed it right
If you want to sell the house, you have to time it right and wait for prices to rise.
She timed it right and arrived just as the food came out of the oven.
The joke only works if you time it right.
Common combinations
- time it right
- You need to time it right if you want tickets for the concert.
- time things right
- A good investor knows how to time things right.
- timed it perfectly
- He timed it perfectly and caught the ball.
Synonyms and how they differ
- schedule
- Use 'schedule' for planning the time of an event in advance; 'time it right' is more about reacting at the best moment.
- coordinate
- 'Coordinate' means organizing several things together; 'time it right' focuses only on the correct moment.
Commonly confused: time it right or time right?
time it right vs time right
Not a standard phrase; the pronoun 'it' is needed: 'time it right'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct form is 'timed it right' (past tense + pronoun + right). Option 1 puts 'right' in the wrong place, option 2 uses the wrong verb form, and option 3 uses the present tense where past is needed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “time it right”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.