What does mistime mean?
Mistime means to do something at the wrong moment or to estimate the duration of an action incorrectly. The word is especially common in sport, dance, theatre, music, and other contexts in which coordination and precise timing matter. Someone who mistimes a jump, throw, entrance, or performance may have chosen the wrong moment even when the underlying technique was sound. It can also describe a broader failure to choose an appropriate occasion, as in a company that mistimes the launch of a product or a speaker who mistimes a joke. Although more specific than the general word 'miscalculate', mistime highlights the role of sequence and duration in achieving a successful result. Its prefix, 'mis-', gives the word its clear sense of error or incorrectness.
verbTo time something incorrectly, especially by doing an action at the wrong moment or for the wrong duration. It can also mean to choose an unsuitable time for doing something.
- To time an action, performance, or event incorrectly.
- To choose the wrong moment to do or say something.
"She mistimed her jump and landed awkwardly on the far bank."
"The actor mistimed his entrance and walked into the scene before the others had finished speaking."
"By launching the promotion too early, the company mistimed the campaign and missed much of its potential impact."
A perfectly executed action can still fail if it is mistimed: in sport, stagecraft, and communication, the right move at the wrong moment can undo careful preparation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of mistime
The word is formed in English by combining the prefix 'mis-' with 'time'. It belongs to a family of English formations such as 'mistranslate' and 'misjudge', in which 'mis-' indicates that an intended action has been performed incorrectly. The form developed as a verb meaning to time wrongly, and its modern uses extend naturally to performances and coordinated actions.
Related word forms
How mistime is actually used
This verb is relatively uncommon and is especially natural in descriptions of sport, performance, entertainment, and carefully coordinated actions. It is less usual for ordinary scheduling, where 'schedule badly' or 'choose the wrong time' may sound more idiomatic.