by the time

phrase

: at the time : when
I had lived in 12 different cities by the time I turned 18.
By the time she showed up, I was finished eating.

Examples of by the time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Research on the Fragile Families data found that 51% of African-American fathers in the study had been incarcerated by the time their child was five, and children whose fathers had been incarcerated showed significantly more behavioral problems. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Coincidentally, Dean’s career on the pitch was over by the time the current chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, took over. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 The government had not yet responded to queries by the time of publication. — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 A lot had already changed by the time Rankine published Just Us, her follow-up to Citizen, in 2020. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by the time

Rhymes for by the time

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Browse Nearby Words

by the sweat of one's brow
by the time
by the way
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Cite this Entry

“By the time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20the%20time. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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