by the third day

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by the third day" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a specific deadline or timeframe by which something is expected to happen or be completed. Example: "The project must be submitted by the third day of the month to meet the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

Bacteriological clearance was achieved in 73.9% (17) of the cured infectious episodes, by the third day (IQR, days 1 5) of CMS therapy in all BSIs, and by the eighth day (IQR, days 3 10) in 4 (40%) VAP episodes.

Clinical Infectious Diseases

The lesions stabilized in size by the third day and had largely resolved by 14 days with minimal scarring.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

By the third day the images were equivalent to those obtained at 11 days with the intact mAb.

EJNMMI Research

By the third day, events began taking another turn.

The Washington Post

By the third day, she was screaming her head off.

The New York Times - Magazine

Roundworms reach young adulthood by the third day of their three-week life.

Princeton University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

SF: Yeah, he came by on the third day.

Huffington Post

Look what happened to Barbaro last year, fighting for his life by the third Saturday of May.

The New York Times - Sports

"You have to get your retained list in by the third Saturday in May.

BBC

In these experiments a significant reduction in proliferation was seen for hEBD LVEC cells after three days of SMF exposure; this effect lessened by the sixth day and was lost by the ninth day.

BMC Genomics

Then, its initial level recovered by the eighth day.

Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by the third day" to set a clear expectation for when something needs to be completed, especially when outlining a phased process or schedule.

Common error

Avoid assuming "by the third day" means 'on the third day'. It specifies that the action should be completed before the start of the fourth day.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by the third day" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to specify a deadline or timeframe. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in setting expectations for completion or achievement.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by the third day" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, setting a deadline or timeframe for an action or event. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically sound and usable in written English. While the phrase occurs with similar frequency across the categories of News & Media, Science, and Academia, users should ensure not to confuse it for a precise point in time but rather as a deadline to be met before the fourth day. For alternatives, consider "on the third day", "before the fourth day", or "no later than the third day" depending on your specific needs. The phrase is best used to set clear expectations in a schedule.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on the third day

Replaces 'by' with 'on', changing the nuance from a deadline to a specific point in time.

before the fourth day

Shifts the focus to the day before, implying a deadline slightly earlier.

no later than the third day

Adds emphasis to the deadline aspect of the original phrase.

until the third day

Implies a continuous action or state lasting up to the specified day.

by day three

Shortened version of the original phrase, suitable for informal contexts.

at the end of the third day

Specifies that something must be completed by the very end of the third day.

within three days

Indicates a duration of three days within which something must occur.

in three days

Specifies that an event will occur three days from a certain point.

after two days

Focuses on the time elapsed, rather than a deadline.

three days hence

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of saying 'in three days'.

FAQs

How can I use "by the third day" in a sentence?

You can use "by the third day" to indicate a deadline or timeframe, such as, "The report must be finished "by the third day" of the week."

What can I say instead of "by the third day"?

Alternatives include "on the third day", "before the fourth day", or "no later than the third day", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "at the third day" instead of "by the third day"?

While "by the third day" indicates a deadline, "at the third day" specifies a point in time. The choice depends on whether you're setting a deadline or describing when something occurs. For example, use "by the third day" when something must occur by that point, use "at the third day" when something happens precisely then.

What's the difference between "by the third day" and "in three days"?

"By the third day" refers to a deadline, meaning something must be completed before or on that day. "In three days" indicates when something will start or occur, counting three days from a starting point.