time-out
/taɪm aʊt/
CommonA temporary moderation restriction that stops a user from interacting in a server for a set period.
The term carries a slightly childish connotation by design. Being put in time-out implies you misbehaved and now you sit in the corner.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | he got a 24 hour time-out for arguing with the mods | A user was temporarily blocked from posting as punishment for backtalk. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | mod just gave everyone in the argument a time-out lmao | Multiple users were simultaneously restricted to stop an ongoing fight. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | sitting in time-out for the next 6 hours i deserve it | The user acknowledges they broke a rule and accepts the restriction. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- A mod temporarily restricts a user from interacting in a server.
- Someone is being told to calm down before they get banned.
- Describing a lighter moderation action than a full ban.
Do not use it when
- The user is permanently banned.Use “ban-hammer” instead.
- The user is only muted in one channel.Use “muted” instead.
Variations and related forms
Time-out vs muted
time-out
Time-out is a Discord-native feature that restricts all server interaction for a period.
VS
muted
Muted typically means only voice is restricted, or a bot-managed role that blocks posting in channels.
Origin and context
Discord added native time-out as a moderation feature in late 2021. The term is borrowed directly from childhood punishment language, carrying that connotation intentionally.
- First seen
- 2021
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/time-outUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0