time thief
Something or someone that consumes an inordinate amount of time, especially without achieving anything productive.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Social media is a huge time thief for me.”
“I try to avoid long, unnecessary meetings because they are a major time thief during my busy workday.”
“The constant stream of minor administrative requests proved to be a persistent time thief, preventing the researcher from focusing on her primary project.”
- 01
a week is a long time in politics
In politics, much change can occur in a short space of time.
- 02
about time
Far past the desired time.
- 03
any time now
Very soon.
- 04
any time soon
soon
- 05
better luck next time
Used to wish somebody hope in future success after a failure.
- 06
bide one's time
To wait, especially for a suitable opportunity.
- 07
borrowed time
A period of time whose precise duration is not known but which can be expected to be quite limited, and at the end of which one's situation, benefits, or opportunities will be entirely terminated.
- 08
burn time
To waste time unnecessarily.
Last updated August 10, 2026