acquired over time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "acquired over time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe skills, knowledge, or experiences that develop gradually through practice or exposure. Example: "The expertise he has acquired over time has made him a valuable asset to the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Reputations are acquired over time.

The New York Times - Sports

It is subtle but no less tangible, and it is acquired over time.

Harvard Business Review

Angular blades are acquired over time using a golden-angle rotation increment, allowing reconstruction at flexible temporal resolution.

Stanford University

The desire to live in a liberal democracy is, indeed, something acquired over time, often as a byproduct of successful modernisation.

The Guardian - Opinion

An effective training course provides knowledge and skills to pass the course evaluation and sustain the knowledge and skills acquired over time.

Journal of Surgical Education

What you learn about being an opposition leader is acquired over time, from scars, with lessons, with talking to people, with what governments do, how your party organises its ideas.

The Guardian

"Night of the Living Dead" is not high-tech, big-budget horror, like "Aliens". There was no real need to remake a film that lives on the campy cult appeal it has acquired over time.

The New York Times

Our results reveal that several of these non-cyanobacterial plastid enzymes are encoded by genes likely acquired over time by the host via HGT from diverse prokaryotic sources47,48.

Nature

Despite the many pounds of transfiguring makeup, the multitude of wigs, and the numerous pairs of black stilettos and stockings he has acquired over time, Arias has managed to remain himself ever since he began performing — with the late German vocalist Klaus Nomi — in the late seventies.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Images are acquired over time-scales of 146 ms, thereby enabling the movement of individual gas bubbles to be followed in real time.

Catalysis Today

Culture is defined as "a learned, patterned behavioral response acquired over time that includes implicit versus explicit beliefs, attitudes, values, customs, norms, taboos, arts, and lifeways accepted by a community of individuals" [ 28], p. 528.

BMC Geriatrics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "acquired over time" when you want to emphasize that something is the result of a process and not an innate quality. It's useful for describing skills, knowledge, or reputation.

Common error

The phrase "acquired over time" is best used for skills, knowledge, or attributes. It's not suitable for describing one-time events or things that are simply purchased. For example, avoid saying "The painting was acquired over time"; instead, say "The painting was purchased."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acquired over time" functions as a verbal phrase that modifies a noun, indicating that the noun (skill, knowledge, trait, etc.) has been obtained or developed gradually. Ludwig AI confirms this through numerous examples of correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "acquired over time" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey that something has been obtained gradually through a process. Ludwig AI confirms that it's suitable for describing skills, knowledge, and attributes that develop over a period. While versatile, it’s best reserved for contexts emphasizing gradual development and avoided when describing singular events or purchases. As Ludwig's analysis shows, it appears most commonly in scientific and news media contexts, lending a tone that is generally neutral to formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gained gradually

Focuses on the gradual increase in something.

developed progressively

Highlights the progressive development of something.

accumulated incrementally

Emphasizes the incremental accumulation of something.

built up slowly

Implies a gradual construction or increase.

cultivated steadily

Suggests careful and consistent nurturing of something.

accrued gradually

Focuses on the gradual accrual or addition of something.

attained over a period

Highlights the achievement of something over a duration.

procured in due course

Implies obtaining something at the appropriate time.

established through time

Suggests the gradual establishment or creation of something.

learned gradually

Focuses specifically on the slow gaining of knowledge.

FAQs

How can I use "acquired over time" in a sentence?

You can use "acquired over time" to describe skills, knowledge, or characteristics that develop gradually. For example, "His expertise was "acquired over time" through years of experience."

What are some alternatives to "acquired over time"?

Alternatives include "gained gradually", "developed progressively", or "accumulated incrementally", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "skills acquired over time" or "skills gained over time"?

Both phrases are correct, but "skills "acquired over time"" often implies a more formal or deliberate process of learning and development, whereas "skills "gained over time"" can suggest a more passive or natural accumulation.

What's the difference between "acquired over time" and "learned over time"?

"Acquired over time" can refer to both knowledge and skills, while "learned over time" specifically refers to knowledge or understanding gained through study or experience. You might say you "acquired a reputation over time", but not "learned a reputation over time".