before the week is out

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before the week is out" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something will happen or needs to be done before the end of the current week. Example: "I expect to receive your report before the week is out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

"We hope to get to 90percentt before the week is out," he said.

The New York Times

Before the week is out, these two lonely people and their rattletrap hearts will have forged a hesitant, faltering kind of friendship.

The Guardian

And I'll meet with leaders of both parties of Congress before the week is out because there's only one way to solve these challenges, and that is to do it together.

The New York Times

And I'll meet with leaders of both parties of Congress before the week is out, because there's only one way to solve these challenges and that is to do it together.

The Washington Post

And before the week is out, Democrats could try to oust Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the independent who campaigned for Senator John McCain, from the chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The New York Times

Here's a final view of Manhattan as the storm swept in, and out: Before the week is out, and depending on access to the gifts of electricity and the Internet, I'll revisit the rich online discussion of communication challenges related to climate extremes in a warming world — which involves folks ranging from David Roberts at Grist to David Ropeik at Big Think.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Before the week was out, however, she and Mr. Brown had met with their board and with company personnel.

The New York Times - Arts

Before the week was out, he had committed his boss to a televised interview with Tory leader David Cameron – stealing one of the few rabbits Mr Brown was hoping to pull from his party-conference-speech hat in the autumn.

Independent

When Wright asked a group of young adults to embark on a weeklong camping trip, he discovered a striking pattern: before the week was out, the negative sleep patterns that he'd previously observed disappeared.

The New Yorker

Mr Keates said there will be a handful of isolated thunderstorms before the week was out, but that temperatures would largely remain above average for the time of year.

The Guardian

I found out her name – Harriet – and, before the week was out, I'd found out a lot more: she was 18, fairly quiet (as English was her second language) and, due to the fact that she had never had a romantic relationship, a job or seemingly gone to bed beyond 10pm, entirely unworldly.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before the week is out" when you want to emphasize that something needs to be completed or will happen before the end of the current working week. It adds a sense of urgency without being overly demanding.

Common error

Avoid using "before the week is out" when a precise date is necessary. This phrase is best for general timeframes, not specific deadlines. For example, instead of saying, "The report is due before the week is out", specify "The report is due by Friday."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before the week is out" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a timeframe. Ludwig's examples showcase its use to specify when an action will occur, aligning with its primary grammatical purpose.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

16%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before the week is out" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate that something will occur or needs to be completed by the end of the current week. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples from reliable sources, primarily in news and media contexts. While versatile, it's best suited for general timeframes rather than specific deadlines. Remember to use contextually appropriate alternatives like "by Friday" or "by the end of the week" for greater clarity. This expression serves to create a sense of urgency and anticipation for near-future events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by the end of this week

More direct and less idiomatic way of expressing the same timeframe.

before the week concludes

More formal and emphasizes the completion of the week.

within the next few days

A broader timeframe, but still implies a short-term action.

prior to the week's end

Highly formal and emphasizes the deadline.

in the coming days

Similar to "within the next few days", but slightly more formal.

in the course of this week

Highlights that the event will happen at some undefined time during the week.

this week

Simplifies the timeframe, focusing on the current week.

sometime this week

Indicates the action will happen at an unspecified moment during the week.

over the coming week

Emphasizes the duration of the week during which the action will occur.

before next week begins

Focuses on the transition to the next week as a deadline.

FAQs

How can I use "before the week is out" in a sentence?

You can use "before the week is out" to indicate that something will happen or needs to be completed before the end of the current week. For example: "I expect to finalize the agreement before the week is out."

What's a less common way to say "before the week is out"?

A less common but more formal alternative is "prior to the week's end". For instance, "The analysis must be completed "prior to the week's end"."

Is it correct to say "before the week was out"?

Yes, "before the week was out" is the past tense form of the expression, used to indicate that something happened before the end of a particular week in the past. For example, "He submitted his resignation before the week was out."

What can I say instead of "before the week is out" if I need to be more specific?

If you need to be more specific, use phrases like "by Friday", "by the end of the work week", or specify a particular date. For instance, instead of "We'll let you know before the week is out", try "We'll let you know "by Friday"".