# by the time

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/by-the-time-that
Updated: 2026-04-22

## Meaning

you use this to show that one thing happens before or at the same moment as another event.

## Examples

- By the time I arrived, the store was already closed.
- By the time the guests arrived for the party, we had finished cooking all the food.
- By the time the rescue team reached the isolated mountain village, the heavy storm had already caused significant damage to the local infrastructure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.