chronological
gb/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/ us/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
arranged by time order
in the order things happened
Usage pattern:
[a chronological list/account/timeline/record]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it when they mean simply “historical”; “chronological” specifically means ordered by time.
Synonyms
sequential (More general; not necessarily time-based.)
|
time-ordered (More explicit that the ordering is by time.)
Antonyms
nonchronological (Not arranged by time order.)
|
random (Without any clear ordering, including by time.)
Collocations
chronological order
|chronological sequence
|chronological list
|chronological timeline
|chronological account
|chronological record
|chronological history
|chronological summary
|chronological narrative
|chronological arrangement
Themes
time
|writing
|education
|work
Examples
- The chapters are arranged in chronological order, starting with her childhood.
- Please submit the documents in chronological sequence by date.
- The report gives a chronological account of what happened during the outage.
Learner examples
- I wrote the events in chronological order.
- The photos are in chronological order.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
relating to time sequence
connected to ordering events by time
Usage pattern:
[a chronological approach/study/framework]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with “chronicle” (a written record); “chronological” is an adjective about time order.
Synonyms
temporal (Broader and more academic; related to time in general, not necessarily ordering.)
Antonyms
thematic (Organized by topics rather than by time.)
Collocations
chronological approach
|chronological framework
|chronological method
|chronological analysis
|chronological perspective
|chronological study
|chronological table
Themes
time
|education
|history
Examples
- The textbook uses a chronological framework rather than a thematic one.
- Her dissertation takes a chronological approach to the development of the genre.
- The exhibit is organized chronologically to show how styles changed over time.
Learner examples
- The book is chronological, not thematic.
adjective
technical
C1
property
3
based on actual age in years
your real age in years
Usage pattern:
[someone's] chronological age
Common mistake:
In this use it normally appears before “age” (chronological age), not alone.
Synonyms
actual (General word; does not specifically contrast with developmental measures.)
Antonyms
developmental (Based on level of development rather than years since birth.)
Collocations
chronological age
|chronological age of the child
|chronological versus mental age
|chronological and developmental age
Themes
health
|education
|psychology
Examples
- Her reading level is above what you would expect for her chronological age.
- The assessment compares developmental milestones with the child's chronological age.
- Chronological age does not always match emotional maturity.
Learner examples
- My chronological age is 20.
Grammar
Dictionary form
chronological
IPA
GB/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
US/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
chro - no - lo - gic - al (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (lo)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: chronological
Word family
Core family
chronology
noun C1
chronologically
adverb C1
Related words
chronicle
noun C1
Negative and opposite forms
non-chronological
adjective
Advanced or less common
anachronism
noun
anachronistic
adjective
Expressions
chronological order
1/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
time-based ordering of events
the order of time (first to last)
Examples
- The files are stored in chronological order by date.
- Tell the story in chronological order so it’s easier to follow.
- The archive doesn’t preserve emails in strict chronological order.
chronological résumé
1/kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ɹsəm/
fixed phrase
business
CV organized by work history dates
a CV ordered by dates of jobs
Examples
- A chronological résumé works well if you have a steady work history.
- She chose a chronological résumé to highlight her recent promotions.
- The recruiter preferred a chronological résumé over a skills-based format.
in chronological order
1/ˈɪn kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
ordered by date/time
from the earliest to the latest
Examples
- Arrange the receipts in chronological order before scanning them.
- The biography is written in chronological order.
- I listed my jobs in chronological order, starting with my first role.
in chronological order
1/ˈɪn kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
arranged from earliest to latest
from the oldest to the newest
Examples
- Please put the documents in chronological order before the meeting.
- The biography tells her story in chronological order, starting with her childhood.
- I organized the photos in chronological order by date taken.
reverse chronological order
1/ɹɪvˈɚs kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
latest first time order
from the newest to the oldest
Examples
- Most CVs list work experience in reverse chronological order.
- The comments are displayed in reverse chronological order, with the newest at the top.
- Sort the messages in reverse chronological order to see the latest one first.
reverse chronological order
1/ɹɪvˈɚs kɹˌɑnəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
arranged from latest to earliest
from the newest to the oldest
Examples
- On a résumé, jobs are usually listed in reverse chronological order.
- The blog displays posts in reverse chronological order, with the newest at the top.
- She presented the updates in reverse chronological order to start with the latest news.