Meantime or Mean Time | Difference & Meaning
Meantime is spelled as one word in the phrase “in the meantime.” It is also spelled as one word when used as a standalone adverb.
- The phrase “in the meantime” means “in the intervening time.”
- The standalone adverb meantime is a synonym for “meanwhile.”
- Mean time (two words) is a scientific measurement of time (e.g., Greenwich Mean Time).
| Meantime in a sentence | Mean time in a sentence |
|---|---|
| My bicycle’s at the bike shop until Friday. Can I borrow yours in the meantime? | In the past, local mean time varied across the country from east to west. |
| Most of us are enjoying the sunny weather. Farmers, meantime, are hoping for rain. | Local mean time was replaced by standard time zones after the invention of the steam train. |
In the meantime
In the meantime is an adverbial phrase that means “in the time between (two events).” It includes the adverb “meantime,” which is spelled as one word.
I couldn’t get anyone to fix the heating for two weeks, so in the meantime, I went to stay with a friend.
The adverbs meantime and meanwhile can be used interchangeably, but we generally prefer to use “meanwhile” as a standalone adverb, and “meantime” in the phrase “in the meantime.”
| Meantime in a sentence | Meanwhile in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Eli wasn’t due back for another half an hour, so Paul did some housework in the meantime. | Paul finished preparing lunch. Meanwhile, Susan went to fetch Eli from next door. |
*In the mean time
It is incorrect to write “meantime” as two words in the phrase “in the meantime.”
- We haven’t got all the data yet. But we can start preparing the report in the meantime.
- We haven’t got all the data yet. But we can still start preparing the report in the mean time.
“Mean time” (two words) is a scientific measurement of time and is an important concept in timekeeping. Greenwich Mean Time is the solar mean time at Greenwich in London, UK.
Frequently asked questions about meantime or mean time
- What is a synonym for in the meantime?
-
Some synonyms for in the meantime include:
- Meanwhile
- Until then
- In the interim
- For the time being
However, bear in mind that the phrase “in the meantime” is much more common than “in the meanwhile.”
If you’re not sure whether to write meantime or mean time, then you probably need the adverb “meantime” (one word). “Mean time” (two words) is a timekeeping term (e.g., Greenwich Mean Time).
Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find the best synonym for “in the meantime” in your specific context.
- What does mean mean?
-
The word “mean” is used in a very wide range of contexts.
For instance, in math, the mean is the average of a set of numbers (e.g., “To calculate the mean of ten numbers, add them together and divide by ten).
“Mean time” (e.g., Greenwich Mean Time), is based on the average solar day. But bear in mind that meantime and mean time have different meanings.
In informal speech, “mean” is sometimes used as an adjective to describe something as excellent (e.g., “She plays a mean game of chess”).
The phrase mean streets is used to describe a socially deprived urban area that is often perceived as dangerous (e.g., “She comes from the mean streets of New York but now lives in a glittering Beverly Hills mansion.”
When used as a verb, “mean” refers to the act of conveying or expressing certain information (e.g., “I don’t know what that word means”).
You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use the word “mean” correctly in your writing.
