Meantime-Meanwhile | Commonly Confused Words

Meantime

/ˈmiːntaɪm/

The time period between two events

And, meantime, keep your health and learn all you can.In the meantime he toiled on.In the meantime he and Strassmann would carry on alone.

This word has no antonyms

/ˈmiːnwaɪl/

During the time something else is happening or in contrast to another event.

Meanwhile great events were taking place in Europe.In the meanwhile Samuel Griffiths had returned to Lycurgus.Meanwhile the tap came again.

This word has no antonyms

Meantime and meanwhile both refer to the intervening period between events, but they are used slightly differently in sentences.
Meantime is often used as a noun or an adverb and is usually preceded by in the, such as in the meantime.
Meanwhile is always an adverb and can start a sentence or follow in the, for instance, Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking.
Meanwhile often implies something happening concurrently or as another perspective in the narrative.
One can often replace meanwhile with at the same time, but meantime is more like until then.