Synonyms

real time

¹ American

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

noun

Computers. the actual time elapsed in the performance of a computation by a computer, the result of the computation being required for the continuation of a physical process.
the actual time during which a process takes place or an event occurs.

idioms

in real time, at once; instantaneously.

real-time ² American

[ree-uhl-tahym, reel-] / ˈri əlˈtaɪm, ˈril- /

adjective

Computers.

of or relating to applications in which the computer must respond as rapidly as required by the user or necessitated by the process being controlled.

real-time British

adjective

denoting or relating to a data-processing system in which a computer receives constantly changing data, such as information relating to air-traffic control, travel booking systems, etc, and processes it sufficiently rapidly to be able to control the source of the data

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

real-time Cultural

A term used to describe computer systems that update information at the same rate as they receive data.

Etymology

Origin of real time

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The thought made my stomach turn a bit, and I felt a familiar rush of relief that real time travel was still a long way off.

From Literature

He added that the company is “managing this environment in real time, applying lessons learned from prior cycles to improve resilience and to strengthen our position.”

From Barron's

Most large chains’ programs are operated through mobile apps that track consumer purchases and behavior in real time.

From Barron's

That advantage is fading as Russia and China are forced to learn in real time to compete with Ukrainian ingenuity.

From The Wall Street Journal

That allowed the system to continually refine its understanding of the qubit's condition in real time.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023