at lunchtime

USAGE SUMMARY

"at lunchtime" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to refer to a specific time of day, which is typically between the hours of 11am and 2pm. Example: I typically make time to read at lunchtime.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Then, at lunchtime, disaster struck.

Independent

I stopped by at lunchtime.

The New York Times - Arts

"Especially at lunchtime".

The New York Times - Food

Tells about talk with Rampal at lunchtime.

The New Yorker

In Panama, family dinners happen at lunchtime.

The New Yorker

The sixth was arrested at lunchtime.

The New York Times

The normal working day ends at lunchtime.

Independent

Accountants go for a swim at lunchtime.

Independent

The summit is due end at lunchtime.

Independent

Workers saunter out of offices at lunchtime.

The Economist

She sat with the boys at lunchtime.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at lunchtime" to specify an event or action that occurs during the typical midday meal period. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "at lunchtime" to describe activities that span the entire afternoon; it refers specifically to the period designated for lunch. Instead, use "in the afternoon" or "during the afternoon" for longer durations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at lunchtime" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when an action or event takes place. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage, showing many examples where it modifies verbs to specify the timing of an action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Science

3%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at lunchtime" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate the time when an action or event occurs, typically during the midday meal period. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usage and acceptability. It is versatile and suitable for use in various contexts, including news, business, and general communication, making it a useful phrase for specifying timing in both formal and informal settings. When aiming for clarity, it's essential to avoid using it to describe events that span the entire afternoon.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

during the lunch hour

Replaces "at lunchtime" with a more descriptive phrase emphasizing the duration of lunch.

during the midday break

Substitutes "lunchtime" with "midday break", highlighting the break period during the day.

over lunch

Uses "over lunch" to indicate an activity happening while having lunch, similar to "at lunchtime".

around noon

Offers a more general time reference, indicating the approximate time of lunchtime.

at midday

Replaces "lunchtime" with the more formal "midday", indicating the middle of the day.

at the noon hour

Similar to "at lunchtime" but specifies the hour when lunch typically occurs.

during lunch

A more concise way of saying "at lunchtime", focusing on the activity of having lunch.

in the middle of the day

A more descriptive alternative that specifies the part of the day when lunch is typically eaten.

at the time of lunch

A more formal way of indicating when lunch occurs.

when having lunch

Emphasizes the act of eating lunch as the context for the timing.

FAQs

How can I use "at lunchtime" in a sentence?

You can use "at lunchtime" to indicate when an event occurs, such as "I usually go for a walk "at lunchtime"" or "The meeting is scheduled "at lunchtime"".

What phrases are similar to "at lunchtime"?

Similar phrases include "during the lunch hour", "over lunch", and "around noon", which all refer to the same general time period.

Is it correct to say "in lunchtime" instead of "at lunchtime"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "lunchtime" in this context is "at". "In lunchtime" is not grammatically correct. You can say "during lunch" instead.

What is the difference between "at lunchtime" and "during lunch"?

"At lunchtime" specifies a particular point in time when lunch usually happens. "During lunch" refers to an activity taking place while someone is eating lunch.