devour time

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The expression 'devour time' is technically correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to emphasize that something is taking a lot of time. For example, "Preparing for the exam is devouring all my time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

While BlocBoy JB devours time, Atlanta's Playboi Carti melts it down.

The Washington Post

Searching from one digital page after another, they say, devours time and increases the chance of user errors.

The New York Times - Tech

Such office housework holds women back, too — and not just because it undercuts their authority and devours time they could spend on more valued projects.

The Washington Post

The evening is divided into four sections under simple rubrics, the titles of which are projected above the stage during brief pauses as the lights dim to signal a thematic transition: "Devouring Time," "Separation," "Jealousy" and "Time Defied".

The New York Times

"Glistening torsos sandwiches": here devouring time makes sandwiches of the torsos, themselves sandwiched between the outer term of evanescence (sweat as it glistens) and the inner term (a sandwich as it gets eaten).

The New Yorker

Landing on rocks below our seawall, head oiled like a tango dancer, the bird spread-eagles to Dracula, could be Shakespeare's cormorant devouring Time in Love's Labour's Lost.

The New York Times

Best played in binges, it devours time like a runaway lock-in, or a weekender that's lost track of itself.

Vice

Those with jobs, like Mrs. Hanong, must endure commutes that devour their time and meager incomes, while legions of jobless people are isolated from opportunity.

The New York Times

An open secret in the charter community is that many charters work because they devour the time, energy, and bodies of their staff.

The New Yorker

May wanted to say, "Trekking in Borneo," but in truth, her responsibilities as a curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art and mother to 2-year-old James devour discretionary time, so she was having a beauty-blitz lunch hour.

The New York Times - Magazine

Agents and lawyers can devour your time and money with little result.

Johns Hopkins University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "devour time" when you want to emphasize the consuming nature of an activity, suggesting it takes up a significant amount of time and energy.

Common error

Avoid using "devour time" in situations where a neutral or positive connotation is desired. Opt for phrases like "take up time" or "occupy time" in less emphatic contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "devour time" functions as a verb phrase, where "devour" acts as a transitive verb taking "time" as its direct object. It vividly describes an activity's ability to consume or use up time extensively. According to Ludwig AI, the expression emphasizes that something is taking a lot of time.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "devour time" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe activities that consume a significant amount of time. Though correct, it is not frequently used, as indicated by Ludwig's analysis. Alternatives like "consume time" and "take up time" might be more common in everyday language. When employing "devour time", aim to emphasize the all-consuming nature of the activity. The choice of alternative words will affect the register, but, according to Ludwig, the most common register is neutral.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

consume time

Replaces "devour" with a more neutral term for using time.

eat up time

Uses a different verb with a similar meaning of consuming.

gobble up time

Similar to "devour" but slightly more informal.

take up time

A more common and less intense way of saying time is being used.

absorb time

Suggests time is being soaked up or used without necessarily implying a negative impact.

monopolize time

Indicates time is being dominated by one activity or thing.

sap time

Suggests time is being drained slowly and gradually.

encroach on time

Indicates something is gradually taking more time than it should.

infringe on time

Similar to encroach, suggesting a violation of available time.

occupy time

Neutral term for spending or filling time.

FAQs

What does "devour time" mean?

"Devour time" means to consume a significant amount of time, often implying that the activity is all-consuming or takes up more time than desired.

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

You might say, "Endless meetings at work are starting to "devour time" that I could be spending on important projects."

What can I say instead of "devour time"?

You can use alternatives like "consume time", "eat up time", or "take up time" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "devour time"?

Yes, "devour time" is a grammatically correct phrase, although it's not as common as alternatives like "consume time".