kill time

Meaning

This idiom means to do something casual or unproductive just to pass the time while you are waiting for a specific event or appointment. It implies you have free time that you don't particularly know how to spend.

Examples

• We had an hour before our flight, so we walked around the duty-free shops to kill time.

  We had an hour before our flight, so we walked around the duty-free shops to kill time.

• I usually play games on my phone to kill time while commuting.

  I usually play games on my phone to kill time while commuting.

• There's nothing to do here, so let's just go grab a coffee to kill some time.

  There's nothing to do here, so let's just go grab a coffee to kill some time.

• She killed time by reading a magazine in the doctor's waiting room.

  She killed time by reading a magazine in the doctor's waiting room.

• If you need to kill time before the movie starts, there is a nice bookstore nearby.

  If you need to kill time before the movie starts, there is a nice bookstore nearby.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to waste time before my train leaves.

  ✓ I need to kill time before my train leaves.

  'Waste time' has a negative connotation, meaning you are using time badly. 'Kill time' is neutral/casual and just means passing empty waiting time.

• ✗ We played cards to pass out the time.

  ✓ We played cards to kill time.

  Learners often confuse 'pass the time' or 'kill time' with phrasal verbs like 'pass out' (which means to lose consciousness).

Related Expressions

Practice

• I listened to a podcast to ___ during the long delay.

  💡 pass the waiting hours

  Show answer

  kill time

• We wandered around the mall just to ___.

  💡 make the time pass faster

  Show answer

  kill time