# meantime

/ˈminˌtaɪm/ (US) · /mˈiːntaɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/meantime
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the time in between

noun · CEFR B1

the period of time between now and a future event.

For teachers: the intervening time between two events; almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'in the meantime'.

- The repairman will be here at three o'clock; in the meantime, let's have some tea.
- The board will not reach a final decision until next month; in the meantime, the current policy remains in effect to ensure operational continuity.

Usage: Almost always appears as 'in the meantime' to function as a transitional phrase.

### 2. meanwhile

adverb · CEFR B2

at the same time that something else is happening.

For teachers: during the intervening time or at the same time; functions as a sentence adverb to connect two simultaneous or sequential situations.

- Meantime, the rest of the team was busy preparing the presentation.
- The primary investigators focused on the chemical analysis; meantime, the field agents continued to gather witness testimonies across the city.

Usage: Usually placed at the beginning of a sentence to link it to the previous context.

## Examples

- The movie starts at eight; in the meantime, let's get dinner.
- The new office won't be ready until next month, so in the meantime, we are all working from home.
- While the board of directors debated the long-term merger strategy, the department heads were instructed to maintain current production levels in the meantime to avoid market share loss.

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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.