closer in time

USAGE SUMMARY

"closer in time" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to refer to something happening or existing closer to the present than something else. Example sentence: We are able to learn more about ancient cultures, as discoveries are becoming closer in time.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The timing of renovation was also important; renovation activity that occurred closer in time to the measurement of B-Pb was associated with 17% higher mean B-Pb whereas renovations that occurred more remotely were associated with an 8% higher mean B-Pb.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

The Sex Pistols' first concert (1975) is closer in time to Rachmaninov's Third Symphony (1936) than to us.

The Guardian - Books

"The nation he hustled was closer in time and temper to the War of 1812 than to your automatic age.

The New York Times - Books

"In addition to improving safety, cutting the distance that the wake vortex remains coherent would allow planes to take off and land closer in time together without compromising safety.

University of California, Berkeley

"Ruggles" came out three score and seventeen years ago, and the actors who listened to Laughton on that Western movie set were closer in time to Lincoln's speech then we are to them now; most are likely long dead.

The New Yorker

But, as the data on climate change piles up, the projections are getting closer in time and in space, and, after years in the public arena, climate scientists have become much better at communicating the scary gravity of their findings.

The New Yorker

On the other hand, he did live a lot closer in time to the First Emperor than we do, and the determination today to reject his view is a bit intemperate.

The Guardian - Arts

"The financial risks of climate change are greater in scale and closer in time than most investors realise," said Howard Covington, former chief executive of New Star Asset Management.

The Guardian

She remembered reading once that Cleopatra had lived closer in time to the building of the first Pizza Hut than to the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The New Yorker

The family waited in vain for memories closer in time, such as the years when Mr. Stegemann bolted from hearth and plow to single-handedly rebuild the Sioux County Democratic Party on behalf of the Kennedy candidacies.

The New York Times

The word "moved" allows the ambiguity that the meeting is either being moved forward in time, meaning it will happen later, or being brought closer in time to the person.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing events, use "closer in time" to emphasize temporal proximity and relative recency. For example, "The invention of the printing press is closer in time to the Renaissance than the invention of agriculture."

Common error

Ensure the context clearly identifies what the phrase "closer in time" is being compared to. Without a clear reference point, the phrase can become vague and lose its intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "closer in time" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or adjective, indicating the relative temporal proximity of one event or entity to another. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

40%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "closer in time" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to express relative temporal proximity. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, it's commonly used across various domains, including science, news, and academia. When using "closer in time", ensure that the context clearly establishes the reference point for the comparison to avoid ambiguity. While "closer in time" is widely accepted, related phrases such as "more recent" or "temporally nearer" may offer subtle differences in emphasis. Remember to use "closer in time" to draw clear temporal connections for your readers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more recent

Emphasizes the recency of an event in comparison to another, focusing on how recently it occurred.

more proximate in time

Uses a more formal vocabulary to convey nearness in temporal terms.

occurring sooner

Highlights the earlier occurrence of an event relative to another.

temporally nearer

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of proximity using a slightly more technical term.

more nearly contemporaneous

Indicates that two events are almost happening at the same time.

more advanced in time

Suggests that something is further along the timeline.

of later date

Focuses on the later date of an event compared to something else.

in the immediate aftermath

Refers to the period directly following an event.

in quicker succession

Highlights the rapid sequence of events.

in shorter order

Indicates that something happens soon after something else.

FAQs

How can I use "closer in time" in a sentence?

Use "closer in time" to indicate that something happened or existed more recently than something else. For example, "The invention of the smartphone is "closer in time" to today than the invention of the personal computer".

What are some alternatives to saying "closer in time"?

You can use alternatives such as "more recent", "more proximate in time", or "occurring sooner" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct: "closer in time" or "nearer in time"?

Both ""closer in time"" and "nearer in time" are grammatically correct. "Closer in time" is more common, but "nearer in time" is also acceptable.

What's the difference between "closer in time" and "more recent"?

"Closer in time" emphasizes the relative temporal distance between two events, while "more recent" simply indicates that something happened more recently than something else. The first is comparative, the second describes an attribute.