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Master confusing words with ease

Meantime vs. Meanwhile

Meantime

/ˈmiːntaɪm/

The time period between two events

Examples:

I'll make dinner; meantime, set the table.She'll arrive later. In the meantime, let's have tea.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Meanwhile

/ˈmiːnwaɪl/

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

Examples:

He was cooking; meanwhile, I set the table.I was at work. Meanwhile, Emma took the kids home.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Ways to tell them apart:

Meantime often refers to the period of time between two events or tasks, while meanwhile is used to compare two simultaneous events.
You can often substitute in the meantime for meanwhile in sentences, but not necessarily the other way around.
Meantime is often found in phrases as a noun, whereas meanwhile is chiefly used as an adverb.
Think of meantime as focusing more on waiting for an event, while meanwhile often highlights an ongoing event contrast.
Consider meantime as a noun phrase naturally fitting between commas, while meanwhile often begins a separate clause.

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