adv, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The time spent waiting for another event; time in between. countable, uncountable

   "We'll come back asap; just wait here for the meantime."

2. 2
   the time between one event, process, or period and another wordnet

Adverb

1. 1
   During the interval; meanwhile. not-comparable

   "Repairs will be done tomorrow so meantime restrain from using the bath."

Adverb

1. 1
   during the intervening time wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

interimmeanwhileageat the same timebetween timebetween-time

Antonyms

All antonyms

bitflash

Example

More examples

"In the meantime, she began to cry."

Etymology

From Middle English menetime, equivalent to mean + time. Adverb is by ellipsis from in the meantime.

Related phrases

for the mean timefor the meantimein mean timein meantimein the mean timein the meantimethis mean timethis meantime

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.