Time feels more alive when we use idioms about time passing to describe how quickly or slowly life moves.
These phrases paint vivid scenes—like time flying, slipping through fingers, or ticking away. They help us express change, memory, and urgency in simple, powerful ways. Through clear rhythm and rich imagery, idioms about time passing make the invisible feel real.
Best Idioms About Time Passing
1. Time flies
Meaning: Time passes very quickly, especially during enjoyable moments.
In a Sentence:
Time flies when you’re having fun.
I can’t believe it’s already summer—time really flies.
Other Ways to Say: Time zips by, Gone in a flash, Time slips away
2. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Something happens or ends so quickly it feels like it took only a moment.
In a Sentence:
The vacation ended in the blink of an eye.
He was gone in the blink of an eye after the call.
Other Ways to Say: Gone in a flash, Faster than you can say, In no time flat
3. Time slips away
Meaning: Time passes without you noticing like something slowly slipping from your hands.
In a Sentence:
I lost track of time—hours just slipped away.
She realized time had slipped away while she was deep in thought.
Other Ways to Say: Time flies, Lose track of time, Time passes by
4. Like sand through an hourglass
Meaning: Time passes constantly and inevitably, grain by grain.
In a Sentence:
Watching the kids grow feels like sand through an hourglass.
Each moment passes like sand through an hourglass—slow, yet unstoppable.
Other Ways to Say: Time is ticking, Time waits for no one, Time slips away
5. Gone in a flash
Meaning: Something disappears or ends extremely quickly, like a flash of light.
In a Sentence:
That opportunity was gone in a flash.
The weekend was gone in a flash before I could even relax.
Other Ways to Say: In the blink of an eye, Gone before you know it, Time flies
6. Time waits for no one
Meaning: Time continues to pass regardless of your situation—it doesn’t stop.
In a Sentence:
You need to act now—time waits for no one.
He learned the hard way that time waits for no one.
Other Ways to Say: Time is ticking, Don’t waste time, Act while you can
7. Like a bat out of hell
Meaning: Extremely fast, often in a chaotic or urgent way.
In a Sentence:
He left the meeting like a bat out of hell.
The week went by like a bat out of hell with all the events.
Other Ways to Say: In a rush, Like lightning, Time zips by
8. Time zips by
Meaning: Time moves rapidly, almost without you realizing it.
In a Sentence:
Time zipped by during the road trip.
It’s amazing how time zips by when you’re focused.
Other Ways to Say: Time flies, Gone in a flash, Time slips away
9. In no time flat
Meaning: Something happens or ends very quickly—almost instantly.
In a Sentence:
We finished that project in no time flat.
The concert was over in no time flat.
Other Ways to Say: In a blink, In a heartbeat, Faster than expected
10. Faster than you can say
Meaning: Something happens extremely quickly—quicker than saying a full phrase.
In a Sentence:
He was out the door faster than you can say goodbye.
The deadline came faster than you can say ‘done.’
Other Ways to Say: In the blink of an eye, In no time, Gone in a flash
11. Beat the clock
Meaning: Finish something before the deadline runs out.
In a Sentence:
We managed to beat the clock and submit the proposal early.
He’s trying to beat the clock before the test ends.
Other Ways to Say: Race against time, Just in time, Make the deadline
12. Race against time
Meaning: Work quickly to finish something before time runs out.
In a Sentence:
It was a race against time to get her to the hospital.
They’re racing against time to build the set before the show.
Other Ways to Say: Beat the clock, Under the gun, Against the clock
13. Eleventh hour
Meaning: The last possible moment before it’s too late.
In a Sentence:
He made a decision at the eleventh hour.
They submitted their application at the eleventh hour.
Other Ways to Say: At the last minute, Just in time, Down to the wire
14. Time is of the essence
Meaning: Time is extremely important, and delay could cause failure.
In a Sentence:
In emergency surgery, time is of the essence.
We need to act now—time is of the essence in this deal.
Other Ways to Say: No time to waste, Urgent, Critical timing
15. Against the clock
Meaning: Working under time pressure to meet a deadline.
In a Sentence:
We’re working against the clock to finish this project.
She’s up against the clock with multiple assignments due.
Other Ways to Say: Race against time, Under the gun, Pressed for time
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Wasting Time You Shouldn’t Miss
16. On the clock
Meaning: Working within a set timeframe, often with performance expectations.
In a Sentence:
You’re still on the clock—don’t leave yet.
He’s on the clock, so every minute counts.
Other Ways to Say: Under pressure, Timed task, Deadline-driven
17. Time is ticking
Meaning: A reminder that time is running out and decisions must be made soon.
In a Sentence:
Time is ticking—what’s your answer?
She felt the pressure as the time kept ticking down.
Other Ways to Say: Time is running out, The clock is counting, Urgency builds
18. Down to the wire
Meaning: Coming very close to the deadline with little or no time left.
In a Sentence:
It came down to the wire, but we made it.
The negotiations went down to the wire before closing the deal.
Other Ways to Say: At the last second, Eleventh hour, Final moment
19. Running out of time
Meaning: Having very little time left to complete something.
In a Sentence:
We’re running out of time—finish your exam.
She realized she was running out of time to apply.
Other Ways to Say: Almost too late, Out of time, Time is up
20. Under the gun
Meaning: Being under intense pressure to act quickly or meet a deadline.
In a Sentence:
He was under the gun to finalize the report.
We’re under the gun with three hours left.
Other Ways to Say: Pressured, Against the clock, Racing against time
21. Better late than never
Meaning: It’s better to do something late than not do it at all.
In a Sentence:
She finally apologized—better late than never.
He joined the meeting 10 minutes late, but better late than never.
Other Ways to Say: At least it happened, Not ideal but acceptable, Eventually is better than never
22. In the nick of time
Meaning: Just before it’s too late; at the very last moment.
In a Sentence:
We caught the train in the nick of time.
The firefighters arrived in the nick of time to stop the fire.
Other Ways to Say: Just in time, Down to the wire, At the last minute
23. Behind the times
Meaning: Old-fashioned or not keeping up with current trends.
In a Sentence:
His ideas are a bit behind the times.
That phone is really behind the times now.
Other Ways to Say: Outdated, Old-school, Not up to date
24. At no time
Meaning: Emphasizes that something never happened—not even once.
In a Sentence:
At no time did he admit his mistake.
The warning was ignored at no time by the team.
Other Ways to Say: Never, Not once, Under no circumstance
25. Late in the day
Meaning: Too late to be useful or to make a difference.
In a Sentence:
That apology came a bit late in the day.
Trying to change now is late in the day for this project.
Other Ways to Say: Too little too late, Missed the window, After the fact
26. Miss the boat
Meaning: Miss an opportunity due to being too late.
In a Sentence:
If you don’t apply now, you’ll miss the boat.
He missed the boat on investing early in that company.
Other Ways to Say: Too late, Lost the chance, Opportunity gone
27. Just in time
Meaning: Arriving or completing something right before the deadline.
In a Sentence:
They made it to the wedding just in time.
I finished the report just in time for the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: In the nick of time, Barely made it, Last-minute
28. Lose track of time
Meaning: To forget how much time has passed because you’re focused or distracted.
In a Sentence:
Sorry I’m late—I lost track of time.
She often loses track of time while reading.
Other Ways to Say: Time slipped away, Got carried away, Forgot the clock
29. At the last minute
Meaning: Doing something right before it’s too late.
In a Sentence:
He always finishes assignments at the last minute.
They changed their travel plans at the last minute.
Other Ways to Say: Eleventh hour, Just in time, Down to the wire
30. Dragging your feet
Meaning: Delaying or being slow to take action.
In a Sentence:
Stop dragging your feet and finish the report.
They’re dragging their feet on making a decision.
Other Ways to Say: Procrastinate, Stall, Hesitate
31. Make time
Meaning: To deliberately set aside time for something important.
In a Sentence:
I always make time for my family, no matter how busy I am.
You should make time to relax—it helps your productivity.
Other Ways to Say: Set aside time, Prioritize, Schedule in
32. Save time
Meaning: To reduce the amount of time needed to do something.
In a Sentence:
Using a dishwasher really saves time.
This new software will help us save time on reporting.
Other Ways to Say: Be efficient, Cut down time, Time-saving
33. A stitch in time saves nine
Meaning: Solving a small problem now prevents it from becoming a bigger one later.
In a Sentence:
Fixing that leak early was smart—a stitch in time saves nine.
Don’t wait till it gets worse. A stitch in time saves nine.
Other Ways to Say: Act early, Prevent bigger issues, Nip it in the bud
34. Time is money
Meaning: Time is valuable and should not be wasted, especially in business.
In a Sentence:
Let’s wrap this up—time is money.
He charges for consulting because time is money.
Other Ways to Say: Don’t waste time, Efficiency matters, Value every minute
35. Call it a day
Meaning: To stop working for the day and take a break.
In a Sentence:
We’ve done enough—let’s call it a day.
After eight hours of meetings, I finally called it a day.
Other Ways to Say: Wrap up, Finish up, End the day
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Time That Sound Natural
36. Call time
Meaning: To decide to end an activity because time is up or progress has stopped.
In a Sentence:
The coach called time on the practice after two hours.
They finally called time on the failing project.
Other Ways to Say: End it, Pull the plug, Bring to a close
37. Buy time
Meaning: To delay something to get more time to prepare or respond.
In a Sentence:
He asked a question just to buy time before his speech.
We need to buy time while we figure out a new strategy.
Other Ways to Say: Stall, Delay purposefully, Gain time
38. Bide your time
Meaning: To wait patiently for the right moment to act.
In a Sentence:
She’s biding her time before making a big move.
Sometimes you need to bide your time until the opportunity is right.
Other Ways to Say: Wait it out, Be patient, Hold back for now
39. Keep time
Meaning: To stay on schedule or maintain accurate timing.
In a Sentence:
The conductor helped the orchestra keep time perfectly.
He always keeps time during meetings—it’s impressive.
Other Ways to Say: Stay on track, Be punctual, Monitor time
40. Play for time
Meaning: To delay or stretch out a situation to gain an advantage or prepare.
In a Sentence:
He’s playing for time until the manager arrives.
The team played for time to regroup their defense.
Other Ways to Say: Stall, Delay tactically, Hold off
41. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
In a Sentence:
She visits us once in a blue moon, so we treasure it.
A snowfall like this happens once in a blue moon.
Other Ways to Say: Rarely ever, Hardly ever, Few and far between
42. Big time
Meaning: A major moment of success or importance.
In a Sentence:
She made it to the big time with her latest book.
That show launched his career big time.
Other Ways to Say: Major success, Huge moment, Make it big
43. High time
Meaning: The moment when something should have already happened—long overdue.
In a Sentence:
It’s high time we had a serious conversation.
It’s high time they fixed those broken lights.
Other Ways to Say: Long overdue, About time, Way past due
44. Borrowed time
Meaning: Living or continuing in a situation that is not expected to last.
In a Sentence:
After the accident, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.
This outdated system is running on borrowed time.
Other Ways to Say: Limited time left, Fragile situation, Not much time remaining
45. Time will tell
Meaning: The outcome or truth will become clear eventually.
In a Sentence:
Only time will tell if the decision was right.
She says she’ll change, but time will tell.
Other Ways to Say: Let’s wait and see, Future will reveal itself, and Patience will show
46. Turn back time
Meaning: A wish to go back into the past to change something.
In a Sentence:
I wish I could turn back time and fix my mistake.
No one can turn back time, but we can learn from it.
Other Ways to Say: Go back in time, Undo the past, Reverse time
47. All in good time
Meaning: Everything will happen at the right moment—no need to rush.
In a Sentence:
Be patient, your success will come all in good time.
They’ll understand all in good time.
Other Ways to Say: When the time is right, Eventually, Patience brings a reward
48. A moment in time
Meaning: A specific, memorable event or experience.
In a Sentence:
Their wedding was a beautiful moment in time.
This photo captured a powerful moment in time.
Other Ways to Say: Special memory, Snapshot in time, Frozen moment
49. Once in a lifetime
Meaning: A unique opportunity or event that rarely happens.
In a Sentence:
Traveling to Antarctica was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
That job offer is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Other Ways to Say: Rare opportunity, One-off experience, Unrepeatable moment
50. Time stands still
Meaning: A feeling that time has stopped, often in awe or deep emotion.
In a Sentence:
When she walked down the aisle, time stood still.
Looking at the stars, it felt like time stood still.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen in time, Timeless, Breathtaking stillness
Exercise to Practice
- The summer vacation was over __________ — I didn’t even get a chance to relax.
- We need to finish this project by tonight — we’re __________.
- I submitted my application __________, just seconds before the deadline.
- He never seems to age. It’s like __________.
- I completely __________ while reading that novel — it was so captivating.
- We knew we were in trouble when the manager walked in and said, “This is __________.”
- I had no time to plan; everything happened __________.
- Don’t worry, I’ll __________ to meet you tomorrow.
- I wish I could __________ and change what I said.
- We worked __________ to launch the product on time.
Answer
- in the blink of an eye
- racing against time
- in the nick of time
- time stands still
- lost track of time
- the last straw
- in a flash
- make time
- turn back time
- around the clock
Conclusion
Life feels easier to understand when we use idioms about time passing and phrases like time flies or in the blink of an eye.
These expressions help us capture how quickly moments fade or how slowly they unfold. They turn the movement of time into something we can see, feel, and remember.
Over time, idioms like these become a natural way to reflect on change, memory, and the pace of life.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
