beyond my time

USAGE SUMMARY

"beyond my time" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means something that is outside of the time period in which a person is living or able to experience. Example: "The technology they're using in that new movie is beyond my time. I can't even imagine how they created those special effects."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But I'm beyond my time.

The New York Times - Sports

Whenever the rain comes it will be there, Beyond my time, but now I take my share.

The New Yorker

Some impulse about laying down foundations, perhaps, now that I have a family, or about completing bigger works that could stand beyond my time.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Of course, there is a regimented, minimalist approach to clearing out in-boxes each day — otherwise known as In-Box Zero — but that requires a level of constant attention and maintenance beyond the scope of my time and patience.

The New York Times - Tech

It is well beyond the limits of my time to read Thompson's entire thesis, so I tried keyword searches ("urinal," "fountain," "baroness," "elsa," "freytag-loringhoven") to see if I could find the corroborating evidence Spalding cites.

Huffington Post

But it's not worth any more of my time beyond what I've already spent to produce these words; it's not worth your time, unless it's cheap and you're desperate, as you're not even being paid to play it (probably); and it's absolutely not the best thing 2K could have put out there.

Vice

Written with the help of Liz Cheney, now a candidate for Senate in Wyoming, it goes far beyond his 2011 memoir, "In My Time," in chronicling his life of health difficulties.

The New York Times

I left and was beyond happy about not wasting my time with such a bastard anymore.

Vice

"These payments were entirely pro rata for extra work beyond my contracted part-time employment over a two-year period and were included in the accounts as part of my employment earnings," he said.

The Guardian

Now Callas is an icon, she is beyond passions, beyond relationships, beyond time.

The Guardian - Film

I had not been exposed previously to the emotional relentlessness of this sort of argument, from which Tom Friedman would soon make a great fortune; it seemed at the time beyond my powers to assess, except for the part about Chrysler making lousy cars.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "beyond my time" to describe something that feels too modern, advanced, or unconventional for your personal experiences or the era you are familiar with.

Common error

Avoid using "beyond my time" when you simply mean something is outdated or old-fashioned. The phrase implies something is futuristic or ahead of its expected arrival, not behind.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "beyond my time" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating something is outside the speaker's realm of experience or understanding due to its advanced nature. Ludwig's examples illustrate this usage across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "beyond my time" is a phrase used to express a sense of unfamiliarity or disconnect with something due to its perceived modernity or advanced nature. It functions as a prepositional phrase with a neutral formality, most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. While Ludwig identifies it as a correct and commonly used phrase, its actual frequency is relatively rare. When using this phrase, ensure that you are indeed conveying a sense of something being futuristic, rather than simply old-fashioned or outdated.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ahead of its time

Focuses on being innovative for a specific historical period.

before my time

Indicates something occurred earlier than the speaker's existence or awareness.

transcending time

Emphasizes surpassing the limitations of temporality.

timeless

Describes something that doesn't age or become outdated.

out of my era

Highlights a mismatch between something and the speaker's personal era.

more advanced than my generation

Focuses on exceeding capabilities of a specific generation.

revolutionary for its age

Emphasizes a transformative quality within a specific historical context.

innovative beyond its years

Highlights forward-thinking qualities exceeding typical expectations.

ahead of the curve

Indicates being more advanced or prepared than others.

breaking the mold

Suggests going against traditional constraints and limitations.

FAQs

How can I use "beyond my time" in a sentence?

You can use "beyond my time" to describe something that seems too advanced or modern for your current understanding or personal experience. For example, "That new technology is "beyond my time"; I can barely use my smartphone."

What's the difference between "before my time" and "beyond my time"?

"Before my time" refers to something that happened earlier than you were alive or aware. On the other hand, ""beyond my time"" implies something is too advanced or futuristic for you to grasp.

What does it mean when someone says something is "ahead of its time"?

When someone says something is "ahead of its time", it means it was innovative or groundbreaking for the era it existed in. It shares a similar meaning with ""beyond my time"", but focuses on the historical context rather than personal experience.

Is "beyond its time" the same as "beyond my time"?

While both phrases touch on concepts outside of temporal norms, "beyond its time" often speaks to something being remarkably advanced for a specific era, whereas ""beyond my time"" reflects a personal sense of disconnect from current advancements.