timeline

A plan showing when activities should happen and when they should finish.

• We need a clear timeline.
• The project timeline allows two weeks for testing.
• Can you send me the timeline for delivery?

How to use it: a timeline for something (We agreed a timeline for the repairs.)

Similar words: schedule, timetable

Common phrases: project timeline, agree a timeline, timeline for something

A line or diagram showing events in the order in which they happen.

• Draw a timeline of your life.
• The timeline shows when each king ruled.
• We added important dates to the timeline.

How to use it: a timeline of something (The book includes a timeline of major battles.)

Similar words: chronology

Common phrases: historical timeline, draw a timeline, timeline of events

A list of posts shown on a social media service, often arranged by time.

• Your photo appeared on my timeline.
• She scrolled through her timeline after lunch.
• My timeline is full of holiday pictures.

Similar words: feed

Common phrases: on your timeline, scroll your timeline, timeline posts

A version of reality in which events happen differently, especially in stories about time travel.

• In this timeline, she survives.
• The film follows two parallel timelines.
• Changing the past created a new timeline.

Similar words: alternate reality

Common phrases: alternate timeline, different timeline, in this timeline

To study events or activities by working out the order and times in which they happened.

• Investigators timelined the events.
• We need to timeline the calls before drawing conclusions.
• The team is timelining each stage of the incident.

Common phrases: timeline the events, timeline an incident, timeline the calls

To show events or activities on a diagram in time order.

• We timelined the main events.
• The software timelines each step of the project.
• She is timelining the story on a large sheet.

Common phrases: timeline the events, timeline a project, timeline the process