diff --git a/man2/time.2 b/man2/time.2
index 059222dcd..ab3d3ecba 100644
--- a/man2/time.2
+++ b/man2/time.2
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ specified as NULL cannot fail with the error
 .BR EOVERFLOW ,
 even on ABIs where
 .I time_t
-is a signed 32-bit integer and the clock ticks past the time 2**31
+is a signed 32-bit integer and the clock reaches or exceeds 2**31 seconds
 (2038-01-19 03:14:08 UTC, ignoring leap seconds).
 (POSIX.1 permits, but does not require, the
 .B EOVERFLOW