time frame

noun

variants or less commonly timeframe

ˈtīm-ˌfrām 

: a period of time especially with respect to some action or project

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time frame or timeframe?

Should time frame be written as one word or two? At present, it is most commonly styled as two words with no hyphen in between.

Compounds, or “words consisting of components that are words,” come in three varieties: open (two words with a space between them, such as lima bean), hyphenated (two words with a hyphen between them, such as runner-up), and closed (one word, such as rowboat). In some cases, competing compound stylings appear in different publications. This is generally acceptable as long as the spelling remains consistent throughout a book or periodical.

Compounds have a tendency to move from open to closed as time goes by, and our evidence suggests that time frame is headed in this direction. At this point, however, the open compound is far more prevalent.

Examples of time frame in a Sentence

They were not able to finish the project within the established time frame.

Recent Examples on the Web

During the same time frame, approximately 56.4 million people had their coverage successfully renewed. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2025

In the same time frame, home prices across the metro area have increased nearly 71% and home prices nationwide have increased over 84%. —Carlos Waters, CNBC, 12 Feb. 2025

According to the latest Baltimore Police Department statistics, carjackings are down 14% across the city this year compared to the same time frame in 2024. —Alexa Ashwell, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2025

The plan is to have the casino open in the first half of 2026, Moore said, which is a time frame that has not changed since a previous update on the project at the end of December. —R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above