time frame

noun

variants or less commonly timeframe
: a period of time especially with respect to some action or project

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time frame or timeframe?

Should time frame be written as one word or two? At present, it is most commonly styled as two words with no hyphen in between.

Compounds, or “words consisting of components that are words,” come in three varieties: open (two words with a space between them, such as lima bean), hyphenated (two words with a hyphen between them, such as runner-up), and closed (one word, such as rowboat). In some cases, competing compound stylings appear in different publications. This is generally acceptable as long as the spelling remains consistent throughout a book or periodical.

Compounds have a tendency to move from open to closed as time goes by, and our evidence suggests that time frame is headed in this direction. At this point, however, the open compound is far more prevalent.

Examples of time frame in a Sentence

They were not able to finish the project within the established time frame.
Recent Examples on the Web Despite EVs reaching cost parity with gas cars by 2027, the average cost of repairs following a major accident could increase by 30 percent within that same time frame. José Rodríguez Jr. / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 On the Rio Grande in Texas, an area largely lacking major border wall infrastructure due to the complex environment, the numbers remained relatively stable during the same time frames. Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Tips on taking the test A common mistake when taking a rapid test is not reading the results within the appropriate time frame. Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 But other counties with more traditional prosecutors saw violent crime surge at much higher rates in the same time frame, a data point Gascón often stresses. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Tri-colored bats saw the greatest death rate in that time frame, dropping from a population of 1,163 to only about 100. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 After that time frame, users should try charging their device or connecting an accessory to see if the warning still shows up. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2024 If employees can manage their training timelines and pathways (within a reasonable time frame aligned with company goals), everyone wins. Jerry Dolinsky, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Scientists witnessed one of the hunters, a male orca known as Starboard, single-handedly kill a 2.5-meter (8.2-foot) juvenile white shark within a two-minute time frame last year. Katie Hunt, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'time frame.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of time frame was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near time frame

Cite this Entry

“Time frame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20frame. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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