behind the times
idiom
: not having or showing knowledge of current ideas or styles : outdated, old-fashioned
The entire country is behind the times when it comes to protecting the environment.
Our professor is surprisingly behind the times.
Examples of behind the times in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In other words, Apple’s iPhone display is beginning to look a little behind the times.
—
David Phelan, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
The sound reaches for modern but still feels a solid decade behind the times, forgoing the specificity and nuance that makes the musical style interesting in favor of bland crowd-pleasing platitudes.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 14 June 2024
Last week's death of O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial beamed live from a California courtroom captivated a nation three decades ago, was a telling reminder of how New York is behind the times — or, at least, a holdout.
—David Bauder, Quartz, 16 Apr. 2024
Leaders who voiced such views, such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, were dismissed as eccentrics, their ideas behind the times.
—Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for behind the times 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Phelan, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
The sound reaches for modern but still feels a solid decade behind the times, forgoing the specificity and nuance that makes the musical style interesting in favor of bland crowd-pleasing platitudes.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 14 June 2024
Last week's death of O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial beamed live from a California courtroom captivated a nation three decades ago, was a telling reminder of how New York is behind the times — or, at least, a holdout.
—David Bauder, Quartz, 16 Apr. 2024
Leaders who voiced such views, such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, were dismissed as eccentrics, their ideas behind the times.
—Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for behind the times
Dictionary Entries Near behind the times
Cite this Entry
“Behind the times.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind%20the%20times. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share