# time bandit

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/time-bandit
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something or someone that consumes an inordinate amount of time, especially without achieving anything productive.

## Examples

- Social media is a total time bandit for me.
- I try to avoid long meetings because they are such a time bandit during my busy workday.
- The constant stream of unnecessary emails acted as a persistent time bandit, preventing the team from completing their primary research objectives.

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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.