Time: English Vocabulary List

at an earlier time

"Let me know beforehand."

"Let me know beforehand if you are coming to the party so that I can buy enough food and drinks for everyone."

referring to an event or occurrence that is about to happen very soon

"The event is forthcoming."

"We are eagerly awaiting the forthcoming release of the highly anticipated sequel to the popular film."

in the order in which events, actions, or items occurred, following a timeline or sequence

"Arrange events chronologically."

"Arrange the events chronologically so that we can see the order in which they happened and understand the timeline better."

for an unspecified period of time

"Postponed indefinitely."

"The meeting was postponed indefinitely because the main speaker had a family emergency and could not attend."

for a limited period, usually until a certain condition changes

"Stay here for the time being."

"For the time being stay here and do not go anywhere until I come back to get you."

without a fixed schedule or pattern

"I call him from time to time."

"From time to time I like to travel alone and explore new places without any company or plans."

at the appropriate or expected time, without rushing or delay

"It will happen in due time."

"Don't worry about the results; the truth will be revealed in due course."

continuing the whole year

"The yearlong drought was severe."

"The yearlong course covers everything from basic grammar to advanced writing skills and meets twice a week for fifty two weeks."

the time after sun sets that is not yet completely dark

"We arrived at dusk."

"We walked home at dusk when the sky turned soft and gray."

time that is endless

"It felt like eternity."

"Waiting for the bus felt like an eternity because the cold wind made every minute unbearable."

the middle part of summer when it is hottest

"Midsummer heat arrived."

"They held the festival in midsummer when the days were longest."

the middle part of winter when it is coldest

"Midwinter brought snow."

"The roads were icy during midwinter and travel became difficult."

either of the two times of the year when the sun reaches its farthest or closest distance from the equator

"The summer solstice arrived."

"The solstice signaled the longest or shortest day of the year."

a year in every four years that has 366 days instead of 365

"This is a leap year."

"February has twenty nine days during a leap year which occurs every four years."

done or happening every other time

"We meet on alternate days."

"The guard patrols the perimeter on an alternate schedule, changing routes daily."

happening repeatedly or continuously in an annoying or problematic way

"Continual interruptions are frustrating."

"The continual dripping of the faucet drove me crazy all night and I could not sleep at all."

continuously happening one after another

"Five consecutive wins occurred."

"It rained for three consecutive days and the basement flooded because the ground could not absorb any more water."

happening one after another, in an uninterrupted sequence

"He won three successive races."

"He won the championship for the second successive year and broke the record that had stood for a decade."

continuing or existing forever

"Their love seems eternal."

"The eternal love story of the famous couple has inspired countless books and movies over many years."

happening at the end of a process or a particular period of time

"The eventual outcome was positive."

"The eventual winner of the race was the underdog who had trained harder than anyone else for months."

(particularly of something unpleasant) likely to take place in the near future

"The storm is imminent."

"Danger is imminent so we must evacuate the building immediately before the fire spreads to this floor."

continuing for too long

"The movie was lengthy."

"The lengthy movie lasted almost three hours but the amazing story kept everyone interested until the end."

happening or done from time to time, without a consistent pattern

"I have occasional headaches."

"The occasional thunderstorm in the summer provides much needed rain for the crops but it can also cause flash flooding in low lying areas."

likely to become a reality in the future

"A prospective buyer arrived."

"The prospective student visited the campus and met with professors before deciding which university to attend in the fall."

taking place at precisely the same time

"Two simultaneous explosions happened."

"The simultaneous release of both products surprised competitors, who expected them to launch separately."

happening the whole year

"The store is open year-round."

"The pool is open year-round because it is heated and covered so people can swim even in the winter months."

non-stop and continuing through the whole day and night

"We work around the clock."

"The nurses worked around the clock during the pandemic to care for the many patients who needed help."

a point in time when something begins or is started

"From the get-go"

"He was dishonest from the get go so nobody should be surprised that he lied again."

having persisted or existed for a significant amount of time

"We have a longstanding friendship."

"We have a longstanding friendship that has survived many arguments and distance over the past twenty years."

(of a thing) having existed or been in use for a significant period of time

"A longtime resident."

"She is a longtime supporter of the local animal shelter, volunteering her time for many years."

used to refer to a date that is after the birth of Jesus Christ

"Anno Domini means after Christ."

"The anno Domini calendar starts from the birth of Jesus and is used widely around the world today."

used when something happens almost at the same time as another

"He laughed and cried in the same breath."

"She praised his work and criticized him in the same breath which confused everyone listening."

marking the years before Christ's supposed birth

"The pyramids were built before Christ."

"The pyramids were built before Christ was born so they are over four thousand years old now."

used with a date to refer to things happened or existed after the birth of Christ

"We use the Common Era calendar."

"The Common Era calendar is used worldwide today and it counts years starting from the birth of Jesus."

up until now

"It is date raining."

"The company has date achieved unprecedented growth in its quarterly earnings."

a certain or exact point in time

"Wait an instant."

"The decision was made in an instant, leaving everyone in the room speechless."

a short period of time of something particular

"A spell of good weather."

"After a long spell of cold weather, the sun finally came out and warmed the earth."

a specific period of time in history or in someone's life

"A new chapter in life."

"This new job marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her professional life."

a period of three months, typically used in financial contexts

"The first quarter passed."

"The company reported strong profits in the first quarter, exceeding all analyst expectations."

closest to the end of a particular period of time, event, etc.

"The latter part was exciting."

"The latter part of the speech was more impactful than the beginning."

occurring every night

"The nightly news is on."

"It is a nightly ritual for the family to eat dinner together and share stories about their day."

appearing, made, or happening once a year

"It is a yearly event."

"The museum hosts a yearly exhibition showcasing contemporary artists from around the globe."

a period of time added to something to prolong it

"The extension is approved."

"They requested an extension on the project deadline due to unforeseen logistical complications."