after hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after hour" is not correct in standard written English; the correct form is "after hours." You can use it to refer to a time period that occurs after the regular business hours or operating hours of a place.
Example: "The store is open for special events after hours on Fridays."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

"Hour after hour of interrogation followed.

The New Yorker

Hour after hour over water.

The New York Times

And it's hour after hour.

The New Yorker

That dark sweater, hour after hour.

The New York Times - Sports

I felt that way hour after hour.

The New Yorker

But now an alternative route leads straight to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, hour after hour after hour.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

In after-hour trading, Intel rose as high as $33.

The New York Times

Shares are currently down 17.57 percent in after-hour trading.

TechCrunch

This caused the stock to free fall in after-hour trading.

TechCrunch

Worst-case scenario: With no redundancies or adequate after-hour pharmacy coverage, medication errors often arise.

TechCrunch

The company has a market cap of about $2 billion in after-hour values.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "after hours" instead of the singular "after hour" to refer to the time period following regular business hours. This ensures grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using the singular form "after hour". The correct phrase is "after hours", which is always plural when referring to the period following standard operational times.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after hour" is most often intended to function as an adverbial modifier, indicating when something occurs outside of standard business or operational times. However, Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "after hour" appears frequently in various sources, Ludwig AI points out that it is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "after hours". This phrase, or alternatives such as "outside of business hours", typically functions as an adverbial modifier to indicate that something occurs outside normal operating times. Although its intended purpose is clear, using the correct grammatical form will ensure clarity and maintain professionalism in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after hours

Pluralizes "hour" to correct the grammatical error and align with standard usage for referring to times outside of normal operating periods.

outside of business hours

Replaces the original term with a more formal and explicit description of the time period.

post-business day

A more formal alternative suitable for professional contexts.

after the workday

Specifically refers to the time following the completion of a typical work period.

beyond regular hours

Emphasizes that the activity or event occurs past the usual operating times.

outside operational hours

Highlights that activities occur when an establishment is not officially running.

non-business hours

Focuses on the time when business activities are not typically conducted.

after closing time

Specifically refers to the time immediately following the end of business operations.

in the evening

Offers a broader, less specific alternative suitable for general contexts.

at night

A simple and general way to refer to the time after the daytime.

FAQs

Why is it "after hours" and not "after hour"?

"After hours" is the correct plural form because it refers to a general period of time following the close of regular business. The term encompasses multiple hours, making the plural form grammatically appropriate.

What does "after hours" mean?

The phrase "after hours" refers to the time period that occurs after the regular business hours or operating hours of a place or service. It indicates activities or events happening outside of the standard timeframe.

What are some alternatives to saying "after hour"?

Since "after hour" is grammatically incorrect, use "after hours". Other alternatives include "outside of business hours" or "beyond regular hours".

How do I use "after hours" in a sentence?

You can use "after hours" in a sentence like this: "The store is open for special events after hours on Fridays." This indicates that the special events occur outside of the store's normal operating times.