Meanwhile

//ˈmiːnwaɪl// adv, noun

adv, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The time between two events.

    "In the meanwhile, the surveyors carried the line three miles, which was no contemptible day's work, considering how cruelly they were entangled with briers and gallbushes."

  2. 2
    the time between one event, process, or period and another wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    During the time that something is happening, often specifically in a different place. not-comparable

    "There was a party going on downstairs. Meanwhile, I was reading a book."

  2. 2
    During an intervening time; from now until a future time. not-comparable

    "We’re going on holiday next month; meanwhile, keep working on the project."

  3. 3
    In contrast to aspects previously mentioned. not-comparable

    "Some songs on the album are beautiful. Meanwhile, others are quite forgettable."

Adverb
  1. 1
    during the intervening time wordnet
  2. 2
    at the same time but in another place wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
interiminterimmeantimemeantimein meantimemeantime

Example

More examples

"Meanwhile, the foolish uncle was sitting in the living room."

Etymology

From Middle English menewhile, equivalent to mean (“intermediate”) + while. Adverb is by ellipsis from in the mean while, noun being conventionally written as one word after the adjective.

Related phrases

in the meanwhilemeanwhile gardenmeanwhile sitemeanwhile spacemeanwhile use

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