Word.ws English Dictionary

time is of the essence

time is of the essence phrase: time is an essential consideration (in regard to an action or response); haste is necessary.

Phrase

time is of the essence

  1. (set phrase) Time is an essential consideration (in regard to an action or response); haste is necessary.
    • Near-synonyms: no time to lose, clock is ticking, clock is running, time is ticking, time is short; tick-tock (interjection)
    • When transporting organs for transplant, time is of the essence.
  2. Failure to complete the required performance by the date certain set forth will constitute an incurable breach.
    • Most construction phase agreements and some pre-construction agreements contain a time is of the essence provision. If time is of the essence, a delay caused by the fault of the construction manager would constitute a breach of contract and could result in the construction manager's being liable...2007, Paul H. Martinez, Rashida Y. V. MacMurray, “Chapter 10: Construction Manager's Responsibilities: Pre-Design, Design and Pre-Construction Phase”, in Stephen A. Hess, Jerome V. Bales, P. Douglas...
    • In a variety of contracts, the courts have held that the requirement that time is of the essence should be applied to the respective obligations of both parties (examples are between (a) buyer and seller, (b) ship owner and charterer, (c) purchaser and vendor, and (d) contractor and owner). Time is...2010, John Adriaanse, Construction Contract Law: The Essentials, 3rd edition, page 172

Examples of time is of the essence in a sentence

  • You must realize that time is of the essence in regards to your money management and wealth creation.2002, Ronald Hammond, Practical Money Management & Wealth Creation for Youth and Young Adults, page 53:
  • When time is of the essence, the clinician and staff must assume direct responsibility to assure the stat referral to a microsurgeon is promptly accomplished.2011, Kenneth M. Hargreaves, Steven R. Cohen, editors, Cohen's Pathways of the PULP, 10th edition, page 426:
  • Time is of the essence is the mantra in business transactions.2015, Gerard H. Gaynor, Decisions: An Engineering and Management Perspective, page 103:
  • Most construction phase agreements and some pre-construction agreements contain a time is of the essence provision.2007, Paul H. Martinez, Rashida Y. V. MacMurray, “Chapter 10: Construction Manager's Responsibilities: Pre-Design, Design and...

Synonyms of time is of the essence

Questions about time is of the essence

What does time is of the essence mean?
Time is of the essence means time is an essential consideration (in regard to an action or response); haste is necessary.
How do you use time is of the essence in a sentence?
You must realize that time is of the essence in regards to your money management and wealth creation.
What part of speech is time is of the essence?
Time is of the essence is a phrase.

Words near time is of the essence in the dictionary

  1. time intervals
  2. time is a flat circle
  3. time is a great healer
  4. time is a great healer of all wounds
  5. time is money
  6. time is of the essence
  7. time is on one's side
  8. time is ripe
  9. time is short
  10. time is the great healer
  11. time is ticking

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: time is of the essence (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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