Quick answer: “Kill time” means to do something unimportant or trivial to make time pass while waiting for something else.
Kill time — To do something unimportant, casual, or trivial simply to make time pass more quickly while waiting for something else to happen.
Meaning
To “kill time” is to occupy yourself with a light, often unimportant activity purely because you have some free time to fill before an event, appointment, or departure. The activity itself is usually not the goal; the goal is simply to make the waiting feel shorter or less boring.
The idiom is extremely common in everyday conversation and describes situations such as waiting at an airport, a doctor's office, or for a friend who is running late. It is informal to neutral in tone and appears naturally in casual speech, travel writing, and lifestyle articles.
Origin & Usage Note
The idiom uses “kill” in a figurative sense, meaning to use up, get rid of, or dispose of something — in this case, the surplus time you have while waiting. This figurative use of “kill” appears in a handful of similar English expressions and has long been part of everyday speech, reflecting how naturally English speakers extend the verb beyond its literal meaning to describe getting through something tedious or slow.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| We killed time at the airport by playing cards. | Waiting for a flight |
| She killed an hour browsing shops before her appointment. | Waiting for a scheduled meeting |
| The kids killed time on the long car journey by counting red cars. | Passing time during travel |
| He killed time scrolling through his phone in the waiting room. | Waiting room; casual distraction |
| To kill time before the interview, I reread my notes one more time. | Waiting nervously before an event |
How to Use It
The idiom follows the pattern “kill time” or “kill + a specific amount of time”, as in “kill an hour” or “kill a few minutes”. It is often followed by “by” plus an -ing verb to describe the activity, as in “kill time by reading”. It suits casual conversation and informal writing well, but a more neutral phrase like “pass the time” may be preferred in formal contexts.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
We killed on time at the station.
We killed time at the station. — The idiom does not take the preposition “on”; it is simply “kill time”.
He killed time doing his final exam revision, wasting the whole afternoon.
He wasted the whole afternoon instead of revising for his exam. — “Kill time” usually implies an unimportant activity during an unavoidable wait, not neglecting an important task; using it for serious responsibilities sounds odd.
I killed the time by two hours yesterday.
I killed two hours yesterday waiting for the bus. — The idiom does not use “the time” with “by”; simply state the amount of time directly after “kill”.
Similar Idioms
Practise This Idiom
Practice English Idioms
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Quick Check: Kill time
2 questions — test what you just learned.
1. What does “kill time” mean?
2. Complete the sentence: “We _____ at the airport by playing cards.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “kill time” mean?
“Kill time” means to do something unimportant, casual, or trivial simply to make the time pass more quickly while you are waiting for something else to happen.
Where does the expression “kill time” come from?
The idiom uses the verb “kill” figuratively, in the sense of getting rid of or using up something, in this case time that would otherwise feel slow or empty while waiting. This figurative use of “kill” to mean “use up” or “pass” appears in a number of English expressions and has been common in everyday speech for a long time.
Can you give an example of “kill time” in a sentence?
Here is an example: “We killed time at the airport by playing cards.” The sentence describes doing a light, casual activity while waiting for a flight.
Is “kill time” formal or informal?
The idiom is informal to neutral. It is extremely common in everyday spoken English and casual writing, though it would usually be replaced with a more formal phrase such as “pass the time” in academic or professional contexts.
What CEFR level is “kill time”?
This idiom is typically encountered at A2 to B1 level. It is one of the simpler and more frequently taught idioms, since its structure is easy to use and its meaning becomes clear quickly in context.
What are common mistakes with “kill time”?
A common mistake is confusing “kill time” with “waste time”; “kill time” usually implies a neutral or harmless way of filling an unavoidable wait, while “waste time” often carries a stronger negative judgement about poor use of time in general. Another error is adding an unnecessary preposition, such as “kill on time”, instead of the correct verb-object form “kill time”.
What is the difference between “kill time” and “pass the time”?
“Pass the time” and “kill time” are close in meaning and often interchangeable, but “kill time” can carry a slightly more casual or restless tone, suggesting boredom or impatience, while “pass the time” is more neutral and can describe any way of occupying a period, even a productive one.
Can “kill time” describe productive activities?
It usually describes light or unimportant activities, such as scrolling on a phone, chatting, or doing a puzzle, rather than serious or productive work. Using it for a major task would sound unusual, since the idiom implies the activity itself is not the point — making the wait more bearable is.
How do I practise idioms like “kill time”?
LexFizz's Flip Tiles and Flash Cards exercises are excellent for practising English idioms in context. Try writing your own example sentences about waiting rooms, airports, or queues, where the idiom is used naturally and often.
Is “kill time” used in both British and American English?
Yes. “Kill time” is used identically in both British and American English, and it is one of the most commonly used everyday idioms across all varieties of English.