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Synonyms

time-consuming

American  
[tahym-kuhn-soo-ming] / ˈtaɪm kənˌsu mɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (of an action) requiring or wasting much time.

time-consuming British  

adjective

  1. taking up or involving a great deal of time

"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

Etymology

Origin of time-consuming

First recorded in 1930–35

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.

They’re also working on a new line of pine tables with metal bases, which they hope will help them increase production since these are less time-consuming to make.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

If the new guy were using software like TurboTax, H&R Block or FreeTaxUSA, it would be cheaper, less hassle and less time-consuming to do it yourself.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

She says she found some swaps very time-consuming - especially in the morning and right after school when she needed to get things done.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

The new policy also creates new verification rules – like stricter proof of parents’ employment – that are making it more time-consuming and complicated to receive subsidies.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

I knew that a new baby was really time-consuming.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.