timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər How to pronounce timer (audio)
Synonyms of timernext
: 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

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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
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.
And the 24-year-old has done it, as most of you have surely heard after his back-and-forth with Dončić in the opener, with a level of cockiness rarely seen from a first-timer of any age. — Dan Woike, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 When the timer dinged, Ernest carried his rats to the sink and wet them gently, one at a time. — Madeline Ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 But Nieder doesn’t think this means an avian brain is just wired to produce answers on a timer. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026 There are excellent instructions and some gentle runs for first-timers and the pint-sized crowd. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for timer

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of timer was in 1648

Phrases Containing timer

Rhymes for timer

See All Rhymes for timer

Browse Nearby Words

timepleaser
timer
time rating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Timer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timer. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

timer

noun
tim·​er ˈtī-mər How to pronounce timer (audio)
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
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