a sign of the times
noun phrase
: something that shows the kinds of things that are happening, popular, important, etc., in a culture at a particular period in history
Having metal detectors in schools is a sign of the times.
Examples of a sign of the times in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And, too often, this exhaustion gets mistaken as just a sign of the times.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Meanwhile, social media commenters are interpreting the shift as a sign of the times.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025
For his part, Lee’s company has argued the tools are but a sign of the times as more people rely on sophisticated AI tools like ChatGPT for everything from essays to relationship advice.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Some of immediate response was humorous and positive, signaling that he should be given a chance, while others critical, a sign of the times where memes can quickly take on a life of their own.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for a sign of the times
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Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Meanwhile, social media commenters are interpreting the shift as a sign of the times.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025
For his part, Lee’s company has argued the tools are but a sign of the times as more people rely on sophisticated AI tools like ChatGPT for everything from essays to relationship advice.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Some of immediate response was humorous and positive, signaling that he should be given a chance, while others critical, a sign of the times where memes can quickly take on a life of their own.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for a sign of the times
Cite this Entry
“A sign of the times.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20sign%20of%20the%20times. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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