# sometime

/ˈsəmˌtaɪm/ (US) · /sˈʌmtaɪm/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. at an unknown time

adverb · CEFR B1

at a time that you do not know exactly, or have not decided yet.

For teachers: at an indefinite or unstated point in time, typically referring to the future but occasionally the past.

- We should get together for coffee sometime next week.
- The report was published sometime last year, though the exact month remains a matter of debate among the committee members.

Usage: Usually placed after the verb or at the end of a clause when referring to the future.

### 2. former

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

having been something in the past; former.

For teachers: having formerly held a particular role or status; erstwhile.

- The sometime captain of the team returned to watch the final match.
- The essay was written by a sometime professor of linguistics who had since turned his attention to political activism.

Usage: Used only before a noun to describe a previous state or profession.

### 3. occasional

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

happening now and then, but not regularly.

For teachers: occurring or acting occasionally or intermittently.

- He was a sometime visitor to the small island during the summer.
- Her sometime interest in photography occasionally resulted in stunning portraits, though she rarely picked up her camera for months at a time.

## Examples

- The sometime actor now works as a teacher.
- The committee invited their sometime rival to speak at the conference to provide a different perspective on the issue.
- A sometime contributor to the local newspaper, he spent most of his retirement tending to his garden while occasionally drafting letters to the editor regarding municipal policy.

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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.