during the contest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "during the contest" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the time period when a contest is taking place. Example: "The participants were very focused during the contest, trying their best to win."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was a hard-fought game, with three ties and five lead changes during the contest.

The New York Times

Hardaker is alleged to have called Child a "fucking fag" during the contest.

The Guardian - Sport

It was a great advantage during the contest never to have been sullied with any responsibility.

The Guardian - Opinion

Clinton suffered a low rating for trustworthiness in opinion polls during the contest.

The Guardian

The 38-year-old left-hander had something to say during the contest, as well.

The Washington Post

Novak looks much happier after the match than he was during the contest.

The Guardian - Sport

In case of a series, at least half the individual stories must have been published during the contest year.

Harvard University

Mitchell, who managed David Davis's campaign, invited Osborne to dinner at his country house during the contest.

The Guardian

Mitchell, who managed David Davis' campaign, invited Osborne to dinner at his country house during the contest.

The Guardian

Several polling companies have published polls during the contest, releasing findings showing which leadership candidate the Labour-supporting respondents prefer.

The Guardian

His shot goes across the face, but during the contest in the forward pocket Lynch is struck in the head.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing specific incidents or situations, use "during the contest" to clearly indicate the timeframe of those events. This ensures clarity and contextual understanding for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using passive voice constructions that obscure who performed the action "during the contest". Instead of "Mistakes were made during the contest", specify who made the mistakes: "The team made several mistakes during the contest."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during the contest" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial modifier. It provides a temporal context, indicating when an action or event occurred. Ludwig confirms this usage across numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Wiki

21%

Science

18%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "during the contest" is a versatile and commonly used prepositional phrase that serves to provide temporal context, specifying when an event or action occurred within a competition. As Ludwig confirms, its usage spans across various domains, including news, science, and general writing. To ensure clarity, it's best practice to use this phrase to provide a timeframe for incidents or situations, avoiding overuse of passive voice to maintain a clear and engaging narrative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

throughout the competition

Emphasizes continuous action during the entire competition period.

over the course of the event

Highlights the progression of actions as the event unfolds.

in the middle of the competition

Focuses on something occurring at the midpoint of the competition.

while the competition was underway

Highlights the time period of the contest in a more descriptive manner.

amidst the competition

Implies action occurring in the thick of the competitive environment.

during the heat of the contest

Highlights action happening during the most intense moments.

as the competition progressed

Emphasizes the unfolding of events as the contest moves forward.

in the thick of the action

Highlights the exciting events while the contest is in progress.

while participating in the contest

Focuses on the actions of participants during the competition.

during the run of the competition

Highlights that events occurred over a span of time.

FAQs

How can I use "during the contest" in a sentence?

Use "during the contest" to specify when an event or action occurred within a competition. For example, "Several records were broken "during the contest"".

What's a more formal way to say "during the contest"?

For a more formal tone, you could use "throughout the competition" or "over the course of the event". These phrases maintain a professional register while conveying a similar meaning.

Which is correct, "during the contest" or "in the contest"?

"During the contest" refers to the timeframe in which something happens, while "in the contest" implies involvement or participation. The correct choice depends on the intended meaning. For instance, "He performed well "during the contest"" vs. "He was a participant "in the contest"".

What are some alternative phrases to "during the contest" that emphasize intensity?

To emphasize the intensity, consider using phrases like "in the heat of the contest" or "amidst the competition". These alternatives add a sense of heightened action to your writing.