time flies
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Time passes quickly.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Figurative class: Personification (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “time flies” mean?
Time passes quickly.
Is “time flies” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.