Synonyms

just-in-time

American

adjective

Business. noting or pertaining to a method of inventory control that keeps inventories low by scheduling needed goods and equipment to arrive a short time before a production run begins. JIT

just-in-time British

adjective

JIT. denoting or relating to an industrial method in which waste of resources is eliminated or reduced by producing production-line components, etc, as they are required, rather than holding large stocks

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

just in time Idioms

see in the nick of time.

Etymology

Origin of just-in-time

First recorded in 1610–20 as an adverb, and in 1975–80 as an adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The DOD is moving to in-stock from just-in-time inventory, which makes sense.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

His just-in-time epiphany leads him to do the very thing he has spent his whole career eschewing: substitute a simple calculus of immediate military advantage for legalistic code.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

He was hand selected by Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs for his unrivalled expertise in just-in-time supply logistics.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2025

“We operate in a just-in-time economic model where getting that vessel in and out of the port as quickly as possible is critical.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2024

We were still a couple blocks from the shop, but I wanted to put the brakes on the just-in-time lecture.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023