time trial

American

noun

Sports.

a race in which competitors are timed individually on a set distance over a course or track, especially to qualify for a successive event.

time trial British

noun

(esp in cycling) a race in which the competitors compete against the clock over a specified course

"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

Other Word Forms

time-trialling noun

Etymology

Origin of time trial

First recorded in 1855–60

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.

In the only Olympic long-track speedskating race with more than two competitors on the ice, the event is much more than a pure time trial.

From The Wall Street Journal

Belgian star Remco Evenepoel continued his excellent start to the season with victory in a second-stage time trial to take the overall lead of the UAE Tour on Tuesday.

From Barron's

She went on to win bronze medals in the women's C1-3 road race and time trial at the Games.

From BBC

Elsewhere, Joe Truman took bronze in the men's 1km time trial - behind the Dutch duo of Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland - to match his achievement from 12 months ago.

From BBC

A group of cyclists had been waiting patiently for their turn to push off in what was a regular time trial event.

From BBC

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