by yesterday

USAGE SUMMARY

"by yesterday" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to specify a particular time or deadline in the past. For example: I had to finish the project by yesterday.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

BY yesterday, Mr. Markowitz was almost crying in frustration.

The New York Times

By yesterday, the reservoir had been replenished.

Independent

By yesterday evening everything was on fire.

The New York Times

He asked for a reply by yesterday.

Stanford University

By yesterday, those appeared exhausted.

The Guardian

By yesterday Daoudi's run was over.

The Guardian

By yesterday it was 373 points lower.

The New York Times

By yesterday, those tickets, too, were gone.

The New York Times - Arts

None of the offensive tops was available by yesterday afternoon.

Independent

But investigators seemed to have discounted that explanation by yesterday.

Independent

By yesterday, however, shares were worth $292.35.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by yesterday" to set a clear deadline or reference point in the past, indicating that something was expected or completed no later than the end of the previous day.

Common error

Avoid using "by yesterday" when you simply mean "yesterday". "Yesterday" refers to the entire previous day, while "by yesterday" indicates a deadline or a state achieved at some point before the end of yesterday.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by yesterday" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to specify a point in time before the end of the previous day. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. Examples found by Ludwig, such as "By yesterday afternoon, about $2,000 had been collected", illustrate this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by yesterday" is a grammatically correct and very common adverbial phrase used to set a temporal boundary or deadline, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in News & Media contexts, the phrase indicates that something was expected to be completed no later than the end of the previous day. While suitable for a range of contexts, it's important to differentiate its usage from "yesterday", which simply refers to the prior day. Remember, as highlighted in the writing guidance, to specify a deadline, use "by yesterday"; to refer to the day, simply use "yesterday".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as of yesterday

Emphasizes a specific point in time as a reference.

until yesterday

Highlights the duration leading up to the previous day.

up to yesterday

Similar to "until yesterday", stressing the period before the preceding day.

previous day

More formal and less conversational than "by yesterday".

the day before today

A more descriptive and less idiomatic way of saying "by yesterday".

on the previous day

Formal alternative using a different prepositional construction.

before today

Broader time frame, not specifically yesterday.

in the past day

Focuses on the duration of the previous day.

within the last 24 hours

More precise and technical, specifying a 24-hour period.

heretofore

Very formal and archaic, meaning "up to this time," but not specifically yesterday.

FAQs

How to use "by yesterday" in a sentence?

Use "by yesterday" to indicate a deadline or a state of completion that occurred before the end of the previous day. For example, "The report was due "by yesterday"."

What can I say instead of "by yesterday"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "as of yesterday", "until yesterday", or "on the previous day".

Which is correct, "by yesterday" or "yesterday"?

Both are correct, but they have different meanings. "Yesterday" refers to the entire previous day, while "by yesterday" indicates a deadline or point in time before the end of the previous day.

What's the difference between "by yesterday" and "yesterday morning/afternoon/evening"?

"By yesterday" refers to the entire day, while "yesterday morning/afternoon/evening" pinpoints specific times within the day. "By yesterday" implies a deadline or something completed at some point during the day, while the others refer to something specific from that period.