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
As a sign of the times, their romance was seen as all but official when Mendes shared a photo of the two together on his Instagram account in April 2018.
—
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Perhaps in a sign of the times, even the unions are eyeing deals with AI companies.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
Yet, a sign of the times is the manner in which large emerging nations like India and Turkey are hedging their bets in the sense of maintaining good relations with Russia and the US.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
But the criticism of Batman was a sign of the times, and months following the release of Joker, comic book writer James Tynion IV took the reins of the Batman title and began a year-long story that saw Bruce Wayne lose all of his wealth in the aftermath of The Joker War.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a sign of the times 
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Perhaps in a sign of the times, even the unions are eyeing deals with AI companies.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
Yet, a sign of the times is the manner in which large emerging nations like India and Turkey are hedging their bets in the sense of maintaining good relations with Russia and the US.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
But the criticism of Batman was a sign of the times, and months following the release of Joker, comic book writer James Tynion IV took the reins of the Batman title and began a year-long story that saw Bruce Wayne lose all of his wealth in the aftermath of The Joker War.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for a sign of the times
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a sign of the times.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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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 5 Nov. 2024.
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