1
: a brief suspension of activity : break
especially : a suspension of play in an athletic game
2
: a quiet period used especially as a disciplinary measure for children

Examples of time-out in a Sentence

we need to take a time-out from our relationship to think things over
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.
The Texas Tech student, who sunk a 94-foot putt during a commercial time-out at the Tech-Houston basketball game on Monday and then chest-bumped the three-time Super Bowl MVP, tried to recreate his masterful moment while on the Today show on Thursday, Feb. 27. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025 And some biz owners have struggled to set up accounts due to time-out errors and unclear instructions, per a local Reddit thread of gripes about it. Karri Peifer, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025 Just over a minute after San Jose fell behind 3-0 at the 9:50 mark of the first, Askarov, during a media time-out, went to the team’s bench to talk with head athletic trainer Jaime Garcia, then left the ice and returned to the team’s dressing room. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2025 Consult with your day-care provider about whether time-outs involving quiet moon-sand play would encourage more regulated decision-making. Cora Frazier, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for time-out

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of time-out was circa 1896

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Cite this Entry

“Time-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time-out. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

time-out

noun
ˈtī-ˈmau̇t
1
: a stopping of play (as in a game) usually for a short time
2
: a quiet period used especially as a way to discipline children
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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