at lunch time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at lunch time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the midday meal. For example: "I typically go for a walk around the neighborhood at lunch time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Santa Clara market at lunch time.

The Guardian

Expect to queue at lunch time.

The Guardian - Travel

Others were troubled by an incident at lunch time yesterday.

The New York Times

"We had a security briefing at lunch time.

The New York Times - Sports

To investigate the influence of environmental conditions on energy intake at lunch time in normal-weight versus overweight male adolescents.

Appetite

But at lunch time, Wall Streeters crowded the sidewalks, curious about what had disrupted their day.

The New York Times

Leopoldo Cacciani, the chef at Cacciani in nearby Frascati, had stopped in, wisely, at lunch time.

The New York Times - Food

'I either wanted a farm, or a yacht.' At lunch time Linda, 45, pops back.

The Guardian

The shootings were going to occur at lunch time in the cafeteria.

The Guardian

He would be there at lunch time and on the dot of six in the evening.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

At lunch time it's packed with local people, many of whom choose the day's specials.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When scheduling meetings, explicitly state "at lunch time" to avoid ambiguity, especially in workplaces with flexible lunch schedules.

Common error

Avoid using "at lunch time" when referring to a specific duration during lunch. Instead, use "during lunch" to indicate an activity that happens while someone is having lunch.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at lunch time" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs and indicating when an action takes place. Ludwig AI confirms its common and correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Reference

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at lunch time" functions as a common and grammatically sound adverbial phrase, used to specify when an action or event occurs. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, from news and media to scientific publications. While versatile, it's important to use it correctly to refer to the time of lunch, rather than activities during lunch. Alternatives like "during lunchtime" can be used for brevity. Its frequency and consistent usage across authoritative sources underscore its reliability in both formal and informal communication. Therefore, use "at lunch time" with confidence to precisely indicate midday occurrences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

during lunchtime

A more concise way of saying "at lunch time" using lunchtime as a single word.

during the lunch hour

Replaces "time" with "hour", focusing on the duration rather than the specific point in time.

over lunch

Indicates that something occurs while lunch is being consumed.

around midday

Specifies the time period but is less specific than "at lunch time".

at the noon hour

A more formal substitute replacing "lunch" with "noon".

during the midday break

More specific to a work or school context.

at midday

A less specific way to reference the middle of the day.

when lunch is taken

Phrases the timing as an event rather than a specific moment.

at the time of lunch

A more verbose and slightly redundant alternative.

around the middle of the day

A general reference to the time period, suitable when precision is not required.

FAQs

How can I use "at lunch time" in a sentence?

You can use "at lunch time" to specify when an event occurs, such as "I usually go for a walk "at lunch time"" or "The restaurant is very busy "at lunch time"".

What's a more concise alternative to "at lunch time"?

A more concise alternative is "during lunchtime". For example, "I prefer to read "during lunchtime"".

Is it correct to say "in lunch time" instead of "at lunch time"?

No, the correct preposition to use is "at". The phrase is "at lunch time", not "in lunch time". Using "in" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What are some other phrases to indicate something happening around the middle of the day?

Alternatives include "around midday", "during the lunch hour", or simply "over lunch" if the activity occurs while eating.