What does sometime mean?
“Sometime” is an adverb meaning at an unspecified time. It often suggests that the precise moment is unknown or unimportant: people may say they saw someone sometime last year, even when they remember a narrower period. It can also appear before a time expression, as in “sometime next week,” to indicate that the event will happen during that period without identifying an exact time. The word has a secondary adjective sense meaning “former,” used in phrases such as “a sometime friend” or “a sometime champion,” especially in British and Irish English. “Sometime” should not be confused with “sometimes,” which means on certain occasions, or with “some time,” which can refer to an unspecified length of duration. The word is useful when precision is unavailable but the event still belongs to a particular period of time.
At some unspecified time in the past or future.
"We should speak sometime after the results are published."
Common in conversation and informal writing. It is especially natural before expressions specifying a broad period, such as “sometime tomorrow” or “sometime in the past.”
Former; having previously held a particular position or been involved in a particular activity.
"The exhibition includes work by a sometime member of the school."
More common in British and Irish English than in American English.
“Sometime” is for the time you cannot pin down: one day, perhaps, but never the hour.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sometime come from?
“Sometime” is a transparent English compound formed from “some” and “time.” Its earliest uses developed from the sense of a particular but unspecified time, while the modern adverb meaning “at some time” solidified over time. The separate adjective sense meaning “former” is also old and reflects the idea of something that was true or held at some earlier time.
Related word forms
How sometime is actually used
“Sometime” is usually informal or conversational, though it is also standard in writing. The adjective sense, meaning “former,” is somewhat literary and is more common in British and Irish English.
Easily confused with sometime
“Sometimes” means on some occasions or at some times, whereas “sometime” refers to one unspecified time.
“Some time” can mean an unspecified duration, while “sometime” normally means at an unspecified point in time.