consume excessive time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "consume excessive time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing tasks or activities that take longer than expected or necessary. Example: "The project was delayed because the approval process consumed excessive time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The scenes set at a small church called the Revolutionary House of Prayer consume excessive stage time, and the ending is seriously flat.

The New York Times

Classical optimization techniques may consume excessive CPU time or even be unable to take into account all the characteristics associated with the posed problem.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

Multiple product formulation, application and processing steps not only require significant amounts of processing time, and contributing to environmental waste generation and pollution they also consume excessive amount of energy and manpower until a solid film has been produced.

Progress in Organic Coatings

Nor should they smoke or consume excessive amounts of caffeine.

The New York Times - Style

Some people consume excessive amounts of the chemical parent of vitamin A, beta-carotene, which gives carrots their orange color.

The New York Times

"Oftentimes, unused or poorly created browser extensions may cause your browser to slow down and consume excessive computing power.

Forbes

Coffee drinkers who also consume excessive alcohol may lose any positive advantage of coffee drinking.

Huffington Post

Not surprisingly, its own surveys indicate that children consume excessive amounts of animal fat and sugary drinks, to the point where one-third have become overweight or obese.

Los Angeles Times

Do not let anyone consume excessive amounts of alcohol.

WikiHow

These consume excessive amounts of water, and leave brine backwash to pollute the local watershed.

WikiHow

Do not use foul language or consume excessive amounts of alcohol as this can upset other passengers.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "consume excessive time", consider quantifying the amount of time to emphasize the extent of the problem. For example, "The meeting consumed excessive time – nearly three hours – without a clear resolution."

Common error

Avoid using "consume excessive time" without providing context or justification. Explain why the time consumption is considered excessive, rather than simply stating it as a fact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "consume excessive time" functions as a verb phrase that describes an action (consuming) and specifies the nature and extent of its object (time). It indicates that something requires or uses up more time than is deemed reasonable or necessary. Ludwig AI confirms its general correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "consume excessive time" is a grammatically sound way to express that something takes longer than expected or necessary. Ludwig AI validates its correctness, indicating it's generally well-received. Although relatively infrequent, it appears across diverse domains like news, science, and general writing. When using this phrase, be specific about the context and quantify the time involved for greater impact. Alternatives like "take up too much time" or "require an inordinate amount of time" can offer stylistic variations. The phrase is suitable for neutral and professional contexts, making it a versatile option for expressing time inefficiencies.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take up too much time

Replaces "consume" with a more direct verb and maintains the focus on time usage.

require an inordinate amount of time

Uses more formal vocabulary to emphasize the disproportionate time requirement.

devour a lot of time

Uses a stronger verb to convey the extent of time consumption.

eat up valuable time

Highlights the value of the time being consumed.

demand considerable time

Focuses on the demanding nature of the task in terms of time.

impose a heavy time burden

Emphasizes the burden or negative impact of the time consumption.

drain a significant amount of time

Highlights the depleting effect on available time.

necessitate a lengthy duration

Focuses on the length of time required.

stretch on for an unreasonable time

Indicates that the duration extends beyond what is reasonable or expected.

prolong the process unnecessarily

Highlights the unnecessary extension of the time involved.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "consume excessive time" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "require an inordinate amount of time" or "demand considerable time".

What are some alternatives to "consume excessive time" in a business context?

In a business context, you might use phrases such as "take up too much time", "drain a significant amount of time", or "impose a heavy time burden" to convey the idea of inefficient time usage.

Is it grammatically correct to say "consume excessive time"?

Yes, "consume excessive time" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English grammar rules where "consume" is the verb, "excessive" is an adjective modifying "time", and "time" is the noun.

How to use "consume excessive time" in a sentence?

You can use "consume excessive time" to describe a situation where something takes up more time than is necessary or reasonable. For example, "The lengthy approval process "consume excessive time", delaying the project's completion."