timeline

noun

time·​line ˈtīm-ˌlīn How to pronounce timeline (audio)
variants or time line
plural timelines or time lines
1
a
: an arrangement or occurrence (as of past events) in time : chronology
After interviewing the suspect, the wardens pieced together a timeline of events and gathered enough evidence to file appropriate charges …Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
b
: a visual representation of events associated with a particular period of time arranged chronologically along a line or in a linear format
The book also includes a timeline, showing which dinosaurs lived when and where, and how the Earth has changed over millions of years.The Children's Bookwatch
In her "Foundations of Western Civilization" course … Prof. Julia Gossard has her students create a timeline of the history of food …Thomas Keith
c
: a schedule of planned events, actions, etc. : timetable sense 2
With just under a year left until your nuptials, here's what's next on your wedding planning timeline.Sarah Hanlon
Giving the client a say in every step of the project could create a delay and throw off the timelineKatie Bates
2
: a period of time especially with respect to some project or event : time frame
And what's the timeline for implementing these changes?Mark Sovel
The stakes are high, and the timeline is tight.Rio Longacre
… school districts can't open before Labor Day and must end by June 15. But to meet that compressed timeline … , districts have had to consider trade-offs.Donna St. George
3
: a stream of social media posts : feed sense 3e
Algorithmic timelines quietly replaced chronological ones, until our social-media feeds no longer took direction from us, but rather directed us where they wanted us to go.Yair Rosenberg
And if there's something funny … I make sure to Retweet so others can cleanse their timeline and enjoy.Andy Richardson
4
: a branch of a theoretical multiverse that exists in parallel with other branches
… the notion that we're surrounded by a multitude of parallel selves, one of which might be living in a better timeline than the one we're stuck in.S. I. Rosenbaum
used especially in science fiction
Dune: Awakening is set in an "alternate" timeline from the original Frank Herbert novels, where something has happened to change the course of history.Wes Fenlon

Examples of timeline 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.
Support from the department’s loan office, tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, and shorter construction timelines would substantially reduce costs, according to the report. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2025 General Guidelines For Starting Seeds Indoors Typically, the timeline for starting seeds indoors is six to eight weeks before the last frost date. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025 However, the two men are friendly and not on the same timeline. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025 The timeline is important because the mayoral election will take place this year. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025 Whether or not countries will agree to join them may influence the timeline of peace negotiations, and that could depend on how voters across Europe feel about getting involved. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 Although a precise timeline to build the tower is uncertain, Westbank executives don’t want to leave the site completely unused. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025 Diving deep into individual cases can reveal the timeline of treatment and how doctors behave. CNN, 21 Feb. 2025 Once alone, Rob continued to press Sophie over the timeline. Abigail Adams, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of timeline was in 1907

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Cite this Entry

“Timeline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timeline. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

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