in the nick of time
idiom
informal
: just before the last moment when something can be changed or something bad will happen
He decided to go just in the nick of time.
The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.
Examples of in the nick of time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
LuSEE-Night, a project 40 years in the making, might just get there in the nick of time.
—
Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Feb. 2026
Margot is saved by DS Jenny Atkins (Amber James) who shows up in the nick of time, though Patrick could have easily still killed them both.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The scene was indeed a fake-out, with Steve’s romantic rival, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and his stealth deltoids catching Steve in the nick of time, teeing up the group’s final victory.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Then, Cillian Murphy arrived in the green room in the nick of time!
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the nick of time
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Harry Goldstein, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Feb. 2026
Margot is saved by DS Jenny Atkins (Amber James) who shows up in the nick of time, though Patrick could have easily still killed them both.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The scene was indeed a fake-out, with Steve’s romantic rival, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and his stealth deltoids catching Steve in the nick of time, teeing up the group’s final victory.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Then, Cillian Murphy arrived in the green room in the nick of time!
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in the nick of time
Cite this Entry
“In the nick of time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20nick%20of%20time. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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