around an hour

USAGE SUMMARY

"around an hour" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
This phrase can be used to refer to a general amount of time that is approximately an hour. For example, "It takes me around an hour to get to work by public transport."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Around an hour later, a fourth attacker blew himself up on a double-decker bus.

Huffington Post

Murray returned around an hour later, with his brother Jamie, to win the doubles as well.

BBC

The effects peak around an hour later.

Vice

The task force began jamming operations at approximately 01 00 followed by radio chatter around an hour later.

Wikipedia

The bus journey takes around an hour.

The Guardian - Travel

The show lasts around an hour and a half.

The Guardian - Travel

Tours take around an hour and a half, and cost from £15.

Independent

Ferry crossings from Naples to Ischia take around an hour, adult return from €37.

The Guardian - Travel

Bake for around an hour, keeping the oven door firmly shut for the first 45 minutes.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Each round of voting is expected to take around an hour or more to complete.

The Guardian

The journey into the city will cost around 250,000Rp (£12.50) and take around an hour, depending on the traffic.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "around an hour" when you want to indicate an approximate duration without being overly precise. It's suitable for everyday conversations and general estimations.

Common error

Avoid using "around an hour" when exactness is required. For precise schedules or scientific measurements, provide the specific time instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "around an hour" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs by specifying the approximate duration of an action or event. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in indicating time spans for travel, cooking, meetings, and other activities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Wiki

13%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "around an hour" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate an approximate duration of time. According to Ludwig, it functions as an adverbial phrase, primarily to estimate time in a neutral register. It is frequently found in News & Media, Wiki, and Science contexts. Related phrases include "approximately one hour" and "about an hour", each offering slight variations in formality and precision. When writing, it's best to use "around an hour" when an approximate time is sufficient and to avoid it when exactness is required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately one hour

Replaces "around" with a more formal synonym, implying a close estimate.

about an hour

Uses a more casual synonym for "around", suggesting a less precise estimate.

close to an hour

Indicates that the duration is near an hour, but not necessarily more or less.

an hour or so

Implies a duration of approximately an hour, with a slight degree of uncertainty.

roughly 60 minutes

Specifies the duration in minutes, providing a more precise but less common alternative.

almost an hour

Suggests that the duration is slightly less than an hour.

nearly an hour

Similar to "almost an hour", indicating a duration close to, but slightly less than, an hour.

in the vicinity of an hour

A more formal and less common way of saying "approximately an hour".

in the neighborhood of an hour

A more informal way of saying "approximately an hour".

something like an hour

A colloquial expression suggesting an approximate duration.

FAQs

How can I use "around an hour" in a sentence?

You can use "around an hour" to estimate time, such as "The meeting will last "around an hour"" or "The drive takes "around an hour" depending on traffic.

What can I say instead of "around an hour"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately one hour", "about an hour", or "nearly an hour" depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to use "around an hour" or "approximately one hour"?

While both are correct, ""around an hour"" is more informal and common in everyday conversation, while "approximately one hour" sounds more formal and precise.

What is the difference between "around an hour" and "just under an hour"?

"Around an hour" suggests a time close to, but not necessarily less than, 60 minutes. "Just under an hour" specifically indicates that the duration is slightly less than 60 minutes.