time will tell

idiom
UK: /ˈtaɪm wɪl tel/
US: /ˈtaɪm wɪl tel/

  1. Used to say that the truth about something will become known in the future.

    1. We don't know if this plan will work, but time will tell. [ ] [ ]
    2. Whether this new approach is effective, only time will tell us. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "time will tell" is /ˈtaɪm wɪl tel/ in British English and /ˈtaɪm wɪl tel/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "time will tell": "We don't know if this plan will work, but time will tell.". More examples on the page.