Synonyms

time warp

American

noun

a hypothetical eccentricity in the progress of time that would allow movement back and forth between eras or that would permit the passage of time to be suspended.

time warp British

noun

any distortion of space-time
a hypothetical distortion of time in which people and events from one age can be imagined to exist in another age
informal an illusion in which time appears to stand still

he is living in a time warp

"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

time warp Idioms

A stoppage in the passage of time; also, a distortion of time whereby an event or person could hypothetically move from one era to another. For example, Nothing in their lives has changed since the sixties; they're in a time warp, or Having a seventy-year-old actress portray a teenager—that was some time warp! This term originated in science fiction, where it signifies “a supernatural movement from one era to another,” and came to be used more loosely. [c. 1950]

Etymology

Origin of time warp

First recorded in 1950–55

Compare meaning

How does time-warp compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

time warp vs. time-lapse

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.

Stepping into Jr. Market boutique in Highland Park is like entering a 1980s time warp.

From Los Angeles Times

“I don’t know if she’s okay or not. I think she went into a time warp.”

From Literature

“That’s the best explanation you can come up with? A time warp?”

From Literature

“Guess the time warp only wanted Angela, not you,” Chip said mockingly, but there was an edge of fear in his voice.

From Literature

Without asking, Katherine added into a time warp? and with our lists under What we think.

From Literature

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