What Is Another Way to Say “Time Suck”?

Looking for synonyms for time suck? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say time suck.

  • Time drain
  • Time-waster
  • Time-consuming
  • Time-gobbler
  • Time-eater
  • Time thief
  • Time hog
  • Time guzzler
  • Time absorber
  • Time vampire
  • Time sapper
  • Time black hole
  • Time bandit
  • Time consumer
  • Time devourer
  • Time leech
  • Time absorber
  • Time killer
  • Time plunderer
  • Time robber

Want to learn how to say time suck professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Time drain

When to use: Describing a task, activity, or process that consumes a significant amount of time without providing substantial value or benefits.

Example: “The manual data entry required for the outdated system became a significant time drain for the finance department.”

2. Time-waster

When to use: Referring to activities or behaviors that result in the inefficient use of time, often without productive outcomes.

Example: “Excessive meetings without clear agendas are recognized as a common time-waster in many organizations.”

3. Time-consuming

When to use: Indicating that a task or process requires a substantial amount of time and effort to complete.

Example: “The manual quality control checks for each product batch are highly time-consuming but essential for ensuring product quality.”

4. Time-gobbler

When to use: Describing an activity or situation that devours a disproportionate amount of time, leaving little room for other tasks.

Example: “The extensive travel required for international sales negotiations can be a real time-gobbler for our sales team.”

5. Time-eater

When to use: Referring to an activity or task that consumes time excessively, often leading to delays in other important work.

Example: “The complex approval process for procurement requests has become a notorious time-eater in our procurement department.”

6. Time thief

When to use: Indicating that a specific task or activity steals time that could be better allocated to more valuable or strategic activities.

Example: “Constant interruptions and unscheduled meetings are often viewed as time thieves in a productive workday.”

7. Time hog

When to use: Describing an entity, process, or task that monopolizes a considerable amount of time, often at the expense of other priorities.

Example: “The monthly financial reporting process can be a time hog for the finance team, affecting their ability to focus on strategic analysis.”

8. Time guzzler

When to use: Referring to an activity, project, or task that consumes time at an alarming rate, potentially impacting overall productivity.

Example: “The software development project unexpectedly turned into a time guzzler due to unforeseen technical challenges.”

9. Time absorber

When to use: Indicating that a task or activity absorbs a significant amount of time, making it challenging to allocate resources to other important work.

Example: “The extensive research required for the market analysis acted as a time absorber, delaying the product launch.”

10. Time vampire

When to use: Describing an activity, process, or situation that drains time and energy, often leaving individuals feeling exhausted.

Example: “The constant influx of emails and meetings can turn into a time vampire, leaving little room for focused work.”

11. Time sapper

When to use: Referring to an entity or situation that gradually depletes time and resources, often without immediate notice.

Example: “Frequent system crashes and technical glitches in our software can be a significant time sapper for our IT team.”

12. Time black hole

When to use: Indicating that a task, project, or process appears to consume time endlessly without clear progress or resolution.

Example: “The documentation review process became a time black hole, with no visible improvement in document quality.”

13. Time bandit

When to use: Describing an activity, event, or circumstance that unexpectedly takes away time that could be better utilized elsewhere.

Example: “Last-minute client requests can act as time bandits, causing shifts in project priorities and timelines.”

14. Time consumer

When to use: Indicating that a particular task or activity requires a significant amount of time to complete.

Example: “The thorough testing and validation process of medical devices are essential but often considered time consumers in product development.”

15. Time devourer

When to use: Referring to an activity or task that consumes time voraciously, often leading to delays in project completion.

Example: “The data migration project turned into a time devourer due to unforeseen data complexities.”

16. Time leech

When to use: Describing a task, activity, or entity that gradually drains time and resources over an extended period.

Example: “The legacy software maintenance has become a time leech, diverting resources from innovation and development.”

17. Time absorber

When to use: Indicating that a task or activity absorbs a substantial amount of time, potentially causing bottlenecks in workflows.

Example: “The comprehensive regulatory compliance audit acted as a time absorber for our compliance team.”

18. Time killer

When to use: Describing an activity or situation that significantly reduces productivity by consuming time unnecessarily.

Example: “Unproductive meetings and excessive administrative tasks are often seen as time killers in the workday.”

19. Time plunderer

When to use: Referring to an event or situation that unexpectedly takes away valuable time and resources.

Example: “The unexpected system outage acted as a time plunderer, disrupting our team’s workflow.”

20. Time robber

When to use: Indicating that a specific task, event, or circumstance deprives individuals or teams of time that could be better invested elsewhere.

Example: “The constant need for manual data entry can be a time robber, hindering the efficiency of our finance department.”

Linda Brown