compress time

USAGE SUMMARY

"compress time" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
"Compress time" means to condense or shorten the amount of time needed for something. Example: "The director had to compress time in the film to fit the entire story into two hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

"We compress time when we build".

The New Yorker

The camera freezes and can also compress time.

The New York Times - Arts

I'll compress time and space into the smallest possible area.

The New York Times - Magazine

The BBC's solution is to compress time and space.

The New York Times - Arts

Cellphones and e-mail artificially compress time and space, giving the illusion of chatting almost in the same room.

The New York Times - Health

Combined use of data and record linkage can effectively compress time and efficiently study full life‐span development.

International Review of Research in Mental Retardation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

We used temporal moment analysis of pixels generated from inversion of electrical resistivity data to compress time-lapse data into descriptive statistics (mean arrival time, temporal variance, and temporal skewness) for each pixel.

Journal of Hydrology

Following another idea, the authors of [18] proposed to compress time-frequency matrices of LSF parameters using a two-dimension (2D) Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT).

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

Compressing time of 3 min is enough to reach maximum compression ratio in MgO powders.

Materials & Design

I like compressing time.

The Guardian - Film

Strategic competition compresses time.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "compress time" in writing, ensure the context clearly indicates whether you're referring to a literal reduction of time or a figurative compression of events or information.

Common error

Avoid using "compress time" when you mean to simply shorten a task's duration. "Compress time" often implies fitting more into the same or less time, rather than just doing something faster.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "compress time" functions as a verb phrase. It describes the action of reducing the perceived or actual duration of an event or process. Ludwig AI confirms its usage across various contexts, denoting the act of shortening or condensing time.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "compress time" is a verb phrase used to describe the act of shortening or condensing a duration, whether literally or figuratively. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct and common, particularly within News & Media and Scientific contexts. The phrase suggests an effort to increase efficiency or accelerate processes. While interchangeable with terms like "expedite the process" or "accelerate time", "compress time" specifically implies fitting more into a reduced timeframe. It's important to use it in contexts where this nuance is relevant, avoiding misapplication when a simple reduction in duration is meant. Authoritative sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this phrase, cementing its validity in contemporary English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

accelerate time

Suggests increasing the speed at which events unfold, similar to compressing them.

shorten time frame

Focuses on reducing the duration within which something occurs, related to the idea of temporal compression.

condense timeline

Implies packing more events into a shorter period, akin to compressing time.

expedite the process

Focuses on speeding up a procedure, thereby effectively compressing the time it takes.

fast-track

Suggests accelerating progress, reducing the time for completion.

reduce duration

Directly indicates a decrease in the length of time.

speed up events

Emphasizes the quickening of occurrences within a given timeframe.

shrink the schedule

Implies making a timetable shorter.

accelerate the schedule

Implies making a timetable shorter.

streamline workflow

Focuses on making a process more efficient to save time.

FAQs

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

You can use "compress time" to describe actions or technologies that allow more to be accomplished in less time. For example, "The new software helps us "compress time" in data analysis."

What is a good alternative to "compress time"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "expedite the process", "reduce duration", or "accelerate time" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "compress time" the same as "save time"?

While both involve time efficiency, ""compress time"" often suggests fitting more into a given time frame, whereas "save time" implies using less time for the same task.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "compress time"?

It's appropriate in contexts discussing technology, project management, storytelling, or any situation where the goal is to accomplish more within a limited timeframe or to convey a sense of accelerated events.