timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

: one that times: such as

a

: timepiece

especially : a stopwatch for timing races

b

: timekeeper

c

: a device (such as a clock) that indicates by a sound the end of an interval of time or that starts or stops a device at predetermined times

Synonyms of timer

• clock

Examples of timer in a Sentence

He was the official timer for the race.

She set the timer on the oven for one hour.

The timer is set to go off in 15 minutes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every year, Vulture averages the timers the big trade papers report at both the Cannes and Venice. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 May 2026

Right before our interview starts, a PR rep produces a timer and clicks it on. —Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 12 May 2026

Attending a festival, especially for a first-timer, can be daunting, with multiple stages and an overwhelming number of activities to experience on-site. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026

Her colleagues, many of them adjuncts or part-timers, were buried beneath an avalanche of student papers. —Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing timer

• all-timer
• egg timer
• full-timer
• old-timer
• one-timer

Rhymes for timer

• climber
• dimer
• eimer
• primer
• rhymer
• alzheimer
• heterodimer

Kids Definition

timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

1

a

: timepiece

b

: timekeeper sense 2

2

: a clocklike device that turns something on or off at a set time or gives a signal at the end of a period of time