behind its time
- idiom
:
desactualizado
- The technology in that old factory is behind its time, lacking the latest advancements.
Examples
-
The school curriculum feels behind its time, not incorporating current educational trends.
-
First off, the series is behind its time.
Blog text (5) -
His views on fashion are behind its time, reflecting styles from decades ago.
Synonyms
93
5.8
No longer used or made because something newer replaces it
78
5.0
No longer useful or fashionable because it is old
34
4.4
No longer current or in use
32
8.2
Very old and not useful or suitable now
11
6.5
No longer fashionable or useful
9
9.6
Belonging to an earlier time and not fitting the present
7
4.8
Old-fashioned and not keeping up with new ideas
3
6.2
Not modern and looking old-fashioned
1
6.8
No longer new or fashionable
1
8.4
Gradually becoming out of date and not used much
1
7.8
Old-fashioned and slow to use new technology
Old and no longer useful or accepted today
Old and out of date in ideas, opinions, or ways
Belonging to a different time and not fitting the present
A person or thing that belongs to a different time and feels out of place now
Antonyms
How Modern
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'outdated' is directly and compositionally derived from 'behind' (lagging or less advanced) combined with 'its time' (the current era), so the phrase signals being late relative to contemporary standards. This construction mirrors cross-linguistic patterns like 'behind the times', making it readily interpretable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrase behind its time may come from the image of something standing behind a clock and missing the current time, so it is not keeping up with what is new. That's why it means 'outdated' or 'not modern'.