On Time vs. In Time

On time means ‘at the planned time’. If you are ‘on time’, you are neither late nor early. The opposite is early or late.

• The train arrived on time. (It was neither early nor late.)
• We want the meeting to start exactly on time.

In time means ‘before the last moment’. The opposite is ‘too late’.

• We arrived there in time.
• He would have died if they hadn’t got him to hospital in time.