hourglass

noun

Definition of hourglassnext
as in sundial

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hourglass The hourglass shape of the Ride 18 Sneakers offers swift, comfortable heel-to-toe transitions during runs and ankle stability no matter the day’s agenda. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 24 June 2026 But like Colletti before him, with Walter having purchased the majority stake in the Lakers, Pelinka is going to have to crash the hourglass and build a winner with haste. — Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 Chloe Bailey Clad in an hourglass Valdrin Sahiti gown, Chloe Bailey continued her blond bob era, pairing the pithy style with stringent liner and lash clusters along her waterline. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 June 2026 How to identify a copperhead The snakes have contrasting brown crossbands shaped like an hourglass or dumbbell, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hourglass
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hourglass
  1. sundial
  2. water clock
  3. clepsydra
  4. time clock
  5. alarm clock
Noun
  • The first sundials and water clocks were determined to have been used in 1200 B.C. by the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Days sometimes may feel like mere hours when times are good, and the moments may barely tick by in a dull day, but the passage of Earth around the sun hasn’t changed in an easily measurable way since humans first started using sundials.
    — Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2025
Definition of sundial
Noun
  • Before time zones, people used other methods of telling time like sun dials and water clocks.
    — Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025
  • His intricate water clocks and automata were not only practical but also visually appealing.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Definition of water clock
Noun
  • Time is kept with a clepsydra, an antique clock consisting of a coconut shell with a hole in it floating in a bucket of water.
    — Paul Salopek, History & Culture, 4 Dec. 2020
Definition of clepsydra
Noun
  • Humphreys and his colleagues have demonstrated how a mock Starlink service can produce navigation and timing solutions with 10-meter-level accuracy if Starlink supplies the real-time clock and orbit corrections—albeit only after a minutes-long processing delay.
    — Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 11 May 2026
  • The show originated at a design museum in Saint-Étienne; Musée des Arts et Métiers has supplemented it with lemons from its permanent collection, such as the ten-hour decimal-time clock, used during the French Revolution.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Definition of time clock
Noun
  • The Echo Spot is an excellent smart alarm clock with decent sound for its size and no camera.
    — Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 24 June 2026
  • In addition, comfortable sneakers, portable steamers, and the Hatch alarm clock were big hits among our readers.
    — Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026
Definition of alarm clock

Browse Nearby Words

hounds
hourglass
hourglasses
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Cite this Entry

“Hourglass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hourglass. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hourglass

Nglish: Translation of hourglass for Spanish Speakers

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