at hourly intervals

USAGE SUMMARY

"at hourly intervals" is correct in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe when something happens at regular intervals, i.e. once an hour. For example, "The bus arrives at hourly intervals throughout the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Repeat twice more at hourly intervals, then leave to set solid.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Repeat this twice more at hourly intervals, then leave to set solid.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

(A five-hour sightseeing bus trip is interrupted at hourly intervals for coffee and Icelandic doughnuts).

The New Yorker

Repeat at hourly intervals until soft-set, then leave to freeze solid.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

When he did ask for it, sometimes at hourly intervals, we patiently tried to explain the damage real guns could do.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Put it back in the freezer for another hour, and repeat at hourly intervals until soft-set, then let the ice-cream set solid.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Second, each property had an energy monitoring device fitted which measured energy use at hourly intervals and sent that information in real time to the university.

The Guardian

There were a hundred and fifty défilés and presentations shoehorned into ten days, at hourly intervals from about nine in the morning until ten at night.

The New Yorker

Refreeze, and then repeat three or four more times at hourly intervals so that you end up with a smooth sorbet.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Values are mean ± SEM at hourly intervals.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

He advises drinking a cup of coffee at hourly intervals throughout the night.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a recurring action or measurement, use "at hourly intervals" to clearly communicate that the event occurs once every hour. This is particularly useful in scientific reports or technical manuals where precision is important.

Common error

Avoid using "at hourly intervals" when you mean 'approximately every hour' or 'several times an hour'. "At hourly intervals" implies a strict, consistent schedule.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at hourly intervals" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to specify the frequency or timing of an action. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use to indicate events occurring once per hour. The examples show its employment across various domains, particularly in scientific contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

73%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at hourly intervals" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adverbial phrase that specifies the timing of an action, indicating that it occurs once every hour. Ludwig AI confirms its regular usage in both scientific and general contexts, with a slightly greater prevalence in scientific writing. While alternatives such as "every hour" or "once an hour" exist, "at hourly intervals" carries a tone of formality and precision, making it especially appropriate for technical and research contexts. Use it when you want to convey an exact, consistently timed action. Remember to avoid it when you mean “approximately every hour”.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every hour

This is a simpler, more direct way of saying the same thing.

each hour

Similar to 'every hour' but emphasizes the individual occurrence in each specific hour.

at one-hour intervals

More formal and precise, specifying the duration between occurrences.

on the hour

This phrase suggests a punctual occurrence at the beginning of each hour.

once an hour

Specifies the frequency of the action.

at regular hourly times

Emphasizes the regularity and consistency of the time.

hourly

This is the adjective form, functioning as an adverb.

in one-hour increments

Highlights the incremental progression of time.

according to an hourly schedule

Suggests a predetermined timetable that is followed each hour.

every sixty minutes

More explicit and technical, useful when absolute precision is needed.

FAQs

How do I use "at hourly intervals" in a sentence?

Use "at hourly intervals" to indicate something occurs every hour. For example, "Measurements were taken "at hourly intervals" to track temperature changes".

What's the difference between "at hourly intervals" and "every hour"?

While similar, "every hour" is more general. "At hourly intervals" often suggests a structured process or measurement, implying more precision.

Is it more formal to say "at hourly intervals" or "once an hour"?

"At hourly intervals" is generally more formal and often preferred in scientific or technical writing. "Once an hour" is suitable for more casual contexts.

What can I say instead of "at hourly intervals"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "every hour", "on the hour", or "hourly".