an overnight basis

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an overnight basis" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to mean that something will occur or take effect immediately and last or remain in force for a short period of time. For example: "The store is offering discounts on an overnight basis, so take advantage of them while you can."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

They operate in a different manner, with all packages being cleared on an overnight basis.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Credit markets seized up and all but stopped functioning, making it impossible for most companies to borrow money on more than an overnight basis.

The New York Times

The London interbank offered rate, which measures banks' willingness to lend to each other, fell to 1.28% from 1.51% on an overnight basis, while the three-month rate was down to 3.83% from 4.06% Monday.

Forbes

The successive seizures that started with banks' unwillingness to lend to one another on even an overnight basis had finally spread beyond Wall Street.  .

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

His critics might say that his suggestions are a bit too convenient, but Mr. Paulson earnestly said that he and the Bush administration were blindsided by the development of the market for collateralized debt obligations and the importance of "repos," or repurchase agreements, that kept investment banks afloat, often literally on a overnight basis.

The New York Times

At one point, the report said, top executives explored making $250 million transfers on "a regular overnight basis" to support the firm's securities business, but some internal officials viewed the idea as too dangerous for customers.

The New York Times

APN was arranged on an overnight home treatment basis and consisted of caloric intake of about 25 kcal/kg daily on five out of seven days (amino-acids 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg, lipids at least 35% of the whole energy support, additional vitamins or electrolyte if indicated, no additional glutamine or ω-3 fatty acid).

BMC Cancer

The London interbank offered rate, which measures banks' willingness to lend to one another, fell again on an overnight and three-month basis.

Forbes

But rather than lending it on, they are depositing it back with the European central bank at an overnight rate of 25 basis points.

Huffington Post

It's usually an overnight.

The New Yorker

It was an overnight sensation.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an overnight basis", ensure the context clearly indicates the action or state is temporary and limited to a single night. This prevents misinterpretations about the duration or frequency of the event.

Common error

Avoid automatically associating "an overnight basis" with urgency. While it denotes a short timeframe, it primarily indicates duration, not necessarily the immediate need for action. To convey urgency, supplement with words like "immediately" or "promptly".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overnight basis" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the duration or timeframe of an action or state. It specifies that something occurs or is valid for a single night, providing a temporal context. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

25%

Wiki

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overnight basis" is a correct and commonly used phrase to indicate that something occurs, exists, or is valid for a single night. As Ludwig confirms, its grammatical structure is sound and appropriate for various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. When using the phrase, be mindful of its literal meaning (one night) and use other words to supplement the meaning such as urgency if desired. To increase clarity and variety, consider related phrases like "for one night" or "on a nightly basis". Remember that the proper form of the phrase includes the article "an", making it "an overnight basis", and not "on overnight basis".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for the night

Simplifies the phrase to indicate something is valid or happens during the night.

for one night

Focuses on the duration of one night, simplifying the original phrase.

over a single night

Emphasizes the action occurring within the timeframe of a single night.

on a nightly basis

Highlights the recurring nature of something happening each night.

lasting one night

Concentrates on the duration, emphasizing the action's continuation through the night.

during the night

Focuses on the time of action, simplifying the duration aspect.

in a 24-hour period

Defines a specific 24-hour timeframe, which includes the overnight period.

for a short duration

Broadens the timeframe, indicating a brief period without specifying it's overnight.

on a temporary basis

Indicates the action is not permanent, without specifically referring to overnight.

short-term

Describes the timeframe in general, indicating it is not a long-term duration.

FAQs

How can I use "an overnight basis" in a sentence?

You can use "an overnight basis" to describe something that happens or is valid for one night, such as "The packages are cleared on "an overnight basis" at the airport" or "The loan was provided on "an overnight basis"".

What's a similar phrase to "an overnight basis"?

Alternatives include "for one night", "on a nightly basis", or "during the night", which all suggest a short duration spanning a single night.

Is it correct to say 'on overnight basis' instead of "an overnight basis"?

No, the correct form is "an overnight basis". The article 'an' is necessary because "overnight" functions as an adjective describing the type of "basis". Omitting 'an' creates a grammatically incorrect phrase.

What is the difference between "an overnight basis" and "a daily basis"?

"An overnight basis" refers to something happening or being valid for one night, while "a daily basis" implies something occurs every day. The key difference lies in the frequency and duration of the event.