sometime

1 of 2

adverb

some·​time ˈsəm-ˌtīm How to pronounce sometime (audio)
1
: at some time in the future
I'll do it sometime.
2
: at some not specified or definitely known point of time
sometime last night
3
archaic : in the past : formerly
4
archaic : once in a while : occasionally

sometime

2 of 2

adjective

1
: having been formerly : former, late
2
: being so occasionally or in only some respects
a sometime father

Examples of sometime in a Sentence

Adverb We should get together sometime. It's likely to happen sometime soon. She will return from her trip sometime in December. A burglar broke in sometime during the night. The book was written sometime around the turn of the century. Adjective a sometime athlete who's gotten awfully fat
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.
Adverb
The ride will close sometime in August and reopen in 2026, Disney says. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025 Carbon dating showed the female was likely born in the 1960s and died sometime between 1977 and 1984, deputies said. Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Led by Smith’s longtime bass player and keyboardist Tony Shanahan, the support crew included Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, former Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer and sometime Rolling Stone Steve Jordan, and guitarist Charlie Sexton. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2025 Vito Genovese, Frank’s sometime friend and longtime rival, is having a more eventful evening, overseeing the murder of his wife’s ex-husband. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sometime

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sometime was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Sometime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sometime. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

sometime

1 of 2 adverb
some·​time ˈsəm-ˌtīm How to pronounce sometime (audio)
1
: at some time in the future
I'll do it sometime
2
: at some unspecified or uncertain point of time
sometime last night

sometime

2 of 2 adjective
: having been at an earlier time : former, late
sometime mayor

More from Merriam-Webster on sometime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!