bought more time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bought more time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to gaining additional time to complete a task or delay an event. Example: "By negotiating a later deadline, she effectively bought more time to finish her project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

As graduation approached, she bought more time by applying for a master's degree.

The New York Times - Books

That wouldn't have solved the problem, but it would have bought more time for negotiations.

The New York Times

They wish they had bought more time, but we're on a schedule.

The Washington Post

"What it has done is bought more time," Dr. Snyder said.

The New York Times

Erdoğan has pleased his own supporters, probably bought more time for peace with the Kurds and alienated the Alevis.

The Guardian

Yahoo, the Silicon Valley tech giant that has been under pressure to show it can compete with aggressive rivals like Google, has bought more time for its turnaround with solid earnings and an 84% rise in income.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

"But that's only buying more time.

The New York Times

Instead, he goes and buys more time.

The New York Times

It wants to buy more time.

The Guardian

"You can buy more time, quality time, family time".

The New York Times - Arts

That's not just a ruse to buy more time.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bought more time" when you want to emphasize that an action or decision resulted in the extension of a deadline or the availability of more time for a specific purpose.

Common error

Avoid using "bought more time" when simply describing a delay that occurred without active intervention. The phrase implies a deliberate action taken to secure additional time, not a passive occurrence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bought more time" functions as a verbal phrase indicating an action taken to extend a deadline or create a delay. As Ludwig AI indicates, this is a common phrase that suggests a proactive attempt to gain extra time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Science

14%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "bought more time" is a verbal phrase used to describe actions taken to extend deadlines or create delays, often for strategic reasons. As Ludwig AI's analysis confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used in news and media contexts. The phrase suggests a deliberate effort to secure additional time. For more formal settings, alternative phrases such as "secured an extension" or "obtained a deferral" might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gained additional time

Focuses on the acquisition of extra time, without specifying the method.

secured extra time

Emphasizes the effort put in to ensure extra time.

obtained a delay

Highlights the postponement aspect, rather than the effort to achieve it.

postponed the deadline

Specifies that a deadline was moved to a later date.

extended the period

Indicates that a specific duration has been lengthened.

prolonged the duration

Similar to extending, but suggests a greater degree of lengthening.

delayed the process

Highlights the slowing down of an ongoing activity.

achieved a respite

Suggests a temporary break or delay from something difficult.

won an extension

Implies that the extra time was earned through some effort or competition.

created an opportunity

Highlights the chance that was created thanks to the fact that time was expanded.

FAQs

What does "bought more time" mean?

"Bought more time" means that someone has taken action to create a delay or extend a deadline, providing additional time for something to be accomplished or dealt with. It implies a strategic decision to gain extra time.

When is it appropriate to use "bought more time" in a sentence?

Use "bought more time" when describing a situation where someone actively did something to postpone an event or extend a deadline. For instance, "Negotiating a payment plan "bought more time" to gather the funds."

Are there formal alternatives to "bought more time"?

Yes, in formal contexts, you can use phrases like "secured an extension", "obtained a deferral", or "gained additional leeway". These alternatives convey a similar meaning with a more professional tone.

How does "bought more time" differ from simply saying "delayed"?

"Delayed" simply means something was postponed. "Bought more time" implies that action was taken to create the delay, suggesting a strategic or proactive element that is missing in the word "delayed".