Close to midday

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Close to midday" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a time that is approaching noon, typically around 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Example: "We should aim to finish the meeting close to midday so everyone can have lunch on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The ftEs measured close to midday did not exceed 10 MHz on October 29, 9.5 MHz on October 30, and 8 MHz on October 31.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Close to midnight, the Moscow city government granted a permit for a crowd of 30,000.

The New York Times

Close to midnight, driving through the darkness, Jimmy and I have some of our best conversations.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Close to midnight, they arrived at the East End Oyster & Martini Bar.

The New York Times - Sports

Close to midnight, the Pearl embarked in a light fog and moved little more than half a mile before the wind died.

The Washington Post

Close to midnight, vivid greens fringed with violet dance across the sky like genies released from bottles, great curtains of pure light.

BBC

It was close to midnight.

The New York Times

Myyy! Goddd! " It was close to midnight.

The New Yorker

It's close to midnight.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

She arrived at the clinic close to midnight.

The Guardian

Hit Peppermint close to midnight, in blue mood.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a meeting time, using "close to midday" adds a softer, less rigid feel compared to stating "at 12 pm".

Common error

Avoid using "close to midday" if a precise time is known and necessary; this phrase implies approximation and is unsuitable when accuracy is required.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to midday" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause by indicating a time approximation. As evidenced by Ludwig, it specifies when an event occurs, placing it in the vicinity of noon.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "close to midday" is a grammatically sound phrase used to approximate a time near noon. Ludwig AI indicates it is most commonly found in scientific contexts, although its overall usage is rare. When writing, ensure the level of precision matches your needs; if a specific time is known, avoid this approximation. Consider alternatives like "near noon" or "around noon" for similar meanings. The expert rating reflects the phrase's correctness and the quality of its sources, balanced against its infrequent usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Near noon

Replaces "close to" with "near", maintaining the approximation of time.

Around noon

Substitutes "close to" with "around", indicating an approximate time.

Approaching noon

Uses a verb phrase to convey the sense of time moving towards midday.

Almost midday

Replaces "close to" with "almost", emphasizing the nearness to midday.

Nearing midday

Similar to "approaching noon", using a different verb form.

Shortly before noon

Specifies that the time is just before midday.

Just before 12 pm

More specific, indicating the time is shortly before 12:00 pm.

In the late morning

Broadens the time frame to the latter part of the morning.

Towards lunchtime

Relates the time to the common mealtime of lunch.

Mid-morningish

Informal term indicating a time vaguely around mid-morning, but potentially approaching midday.

FAQs

How can I use "close to midday" in a sentence?

You might say, "The meeting is scheduled to conclude "close to midday", allowing everyone ample time for lunch."

What's a more formal way to say "close to midday"?

A more formal alternative is "near noon" or "approximately at noon". You could also specify a time, such as "11:45 a.m.", if precision is needed.

Is it better to say "close to midday" or "around midday"?

"Close to midday" and "around midday" are largely interchangeable. Choose the phrase that best fits the tone and flow of your writing. "Around midday" might sound slightly more casual.

What does "close to midday" imply about the time?

The phrase "close to midday" suggests a time roughly between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., indicating that it's near the middle of the day but not exactly noon.