during the week

USAGE SUMMARY

"during the week" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to all or some days during the seven-day week (Monday through Sunday). For example: "I usually like to go for a walk during the week to help clear my head."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's hard during the week.

The New York Times - Sports

It lost 2.7% during the week.

The Economist

There during the week?

The Washington Post

They FaceTime during the week.

The Washington Post

Usual hours: Varies during the week.

University of California, Berkeley

All expenses are covered during the week.

Princeton University

We wrote each other during the week.

The New York Times - Books

I did less running during the week.

The New York Times

We'll work on that during the week".

The Guardian - Sport

"We work hard during the week.

The New York Times - Sports

"He kept on recovering during the week".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When scheduling events, clarify whether "during the week" means Monday to Friday or includes the weekend to avoid confusion.

Common error

Be explicit if you intend "during the week" to include Saturday or Sunday. Otherwise, readers will likely assume you mean Monday through Friday.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during the week" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to specify when an action takes place. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used. The phrase provides temporal context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

34%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "during the week" is a very common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to specify that an action or event happens on weekdays. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely accepted and used in both formal and informal contexts. While generally understood to mean Monday through Friday, clarify your intended meaning if you want to include weekends. Consider using alternatives like "on weekdays" or "throughout the week" for varied expression. It's frequently found in news and academic writing and carries a neutral tone, making it suitable for diverse communication purposes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on weekdays

Replaces "during the week" with a focus on the working days, excluding weekends.

throughout the week

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the activity occurring all "during the week".

in the course of the week

A more formal alternative to "during the week", indicating actions or events that happen over the period of a week.

each weekday

Focuses on individual weekdays rather than the period as a whole.

on working days

Similar to "on weekdays", this highlights activities happening specifically during business days.

during the work week

Clearly specifies the period related to employment or professional activities.

within the week

Indicates something happens at some point "during the week" without specifying regularity.

in the seven-day period

A literal description of "during the week", useful in contexts requiring precision.

on school days

Refers specifically to days when school is in session.

between monday and friday

Specifies range of the activity to weekdays between Monday and Friday, generally excluding weekends.

FAQs

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

Use "during the week" to describe activities or events that occur on weekdays. For example, "I prefer to exercise "during the week" because the gym is less crowded".

What's the difference between "during the week" and "on the weekend"?

"During the week" refers to the period from Monday to Friday, while "on the weekend" typically means Saturday and Sunday. They denote mutually exclusive timeframes.

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

"During the week" is the more common and natural-sounding phrase. While "in the week" might be grammatically understandable, it's not as idiomatic. You can also use "throughout the week" as a similar alternative.

What can I say instead of "during the week" to specify working days?

To specify working days, you can use phrases like "on weekdays" or "during the work week" to be more specific.