timing is key

4.2

Doing something at the right moment is important for success

idiom

: el momento es clave

In comedy, timing is key to delivering a funny punchline.

Examples

In cooking, timing is key to ensure the meal is served perfectly hot.
In business, timing is key to securing a good deal.
If you want to avoid traffic, timing is key when deciding when to leave.
When investing in stocks, timing is key for maximizing profits.
Don't forget that timing is key in negotiations!
To win the race, timing is key; you must know exactly when to make your move.
For a successful presentation, timing is key in knowing when to engage the audience.

Synonyms

timing

vstiming is key

511 2.7

Choosing the best time for something to happen to get a good result

highlights the decisive importance of acting at the right moment for success

timeliness

vstiming is key

5 4.8

Happening at the right time

emphasizes active selection because success depends on the exact moment

Antonyms

ill-timed

3 5.5

Happening at a bad time that causes problems

Surface Forms

timing is key main

Morphology

timing + be + key

The meaning 'it is crucial to choose the right moment' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'timing' (the selection of the right moment) with the copula 'is' and 'key' (crucial/important). This simple, compositional copular structure is cross-linguistically common and follows everyday adjective predication, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Timing is key comes from a simple image: doing something at the right moment, like leaving just before traffic starts or telling a joke at the exact beat. So, it means choosing the right moment is 'crucial' for 'success'.