after office hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after office hours" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the time period after the standard working hours of a business or organization. Example: "Please feel free to contact me after office hours if you have any urgent questions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The institute staff dropped over together, after office hours.

The New Yorker

We had training after office hours in barracks.

The Guardian

Since it was more than an hour after office hours, Jenny told Julien to ignore it.

The New Yorker

Concocting culinary confections after office hours requires a campaign of organizational skills.

The New York Times - Magazine

Efforts to reach Mr. Simmons after office hours Friday evening were unsuccessful.

The New York Times

Welders worked seven days a week in August, after office hours, to add the plates to the wind braces.

The New Yorker

Doctors and academics with internet access rent their passwords so that others can use them after office hours.

The Economist

He admits it is too easy for him to spend hours there doing paperwork after office hours.

The New York Times

Pat McCrory, in his seventh term as mayor, says that 12 years ago the downtown business district was dead after office hours.

The Economist

In 1935 Leonard made After Office Hours, a lacklustre melodrama about a socialite-turned-reporter (Bennett) who is exploited by a wily newspaper editor (Gable).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Anyway, an amazing number of doctors apparently want to flee the profession these days or at least do something that gives then contentment after office hours.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "after office hours" to clearly indicate availability or activities that occur outside of the typical workday. For example, "The support team is available "after office hours" for emergencies."

Common error

Avoid using "after office hours" when referring to paid work performed beyond the regular schedule; use "overtime" instead. "After office hours" implies activities outside of formal work obligations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after office hours" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to indicate when an action takes place. Ludwig confirms this usage with numerous examples showing it describing the timing of events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

45%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "after office hours" is a versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate that something occurs outside of the standard working day. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage in various contexts, particularly in news and media and scientific publications. While there are many synonyms like "after business hours" or "outside of working hours", it's important to use "after office hours" when you specifically want to refer to the time outside of a typical office schedule. Be mindful of avoiding confusion with "overtime", which refers to paid work performed beyond the regular schedule. Overall, "after office hours" is a clear and effective way to specify timing in professional and general communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after business hours

More formal and business-oriented.

out of hours

Commonly used in British English.

outside of working hours

General and applicable to various work settings.

after the workday

Highlights the completion of the daily work period.

post-work hours

Informal and emphasizes the time after work is completed.

off-hours

Shorter, more casual alternative.

beyond regular hours

Emphasizes that the time extends past what is typical.

after the shift

Specifically refers to time after a work shift.

in the evening

Refers to a specific time of day, more general than "after office hours".

after closing time

Focuses on the time after a business establishment closes.

FAQs

What's the difference between "after office hours" and "during office hours"?

"After office hours" refers to the period following the standard working day, while "during office hours" refers to the time when a business or organization is typically open and operating.

What can I say instead of "after office hours"?

You can use alternatives like "after business hours", "outside of working hours", or "post-work hours" depending on the context.

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

Use "after office hours" to specify when something occurs outside of the normal workday, for example: "The building's air conditioning shuts down "after office hours"."

Is it appropriate to contact someone "after office hours"?

It depends on the urgency and the nature of your relationship. For urgent matters or if previously agreed upon, it may be acceptable. However, for non-urgent matters, it's generally better to wait until "during normal office hours".