every other day

USAGE SUMMARY

"every other day" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happens at regular intervals, usually at two-day intervals. For example: "I go to the gym every other day to stay healthy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Teams played every other day; five games in nine days.

The Guardian - Sport

It increases to 20 days where turning occurs every other day.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Every other day.

The New York Times

Wash every other day.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I train every other day.

The New York Times

Oh, about every other day.

The New Yorker

Growth medium was changed every other day.

Nature

Media were changed every other day.

Nature

He must come every other day.

The New York Times

A nurse came in every other day.

The New Yorker

The medium was changed every other day.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "every other day" to clearly indicate an action or event that occurs with a one-day gap, ensuring the intended frequency is understood.

Common error

Avoid assuming "every other day" means 'twice a day'. It signifies a frequency of once every two days.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every other day" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate how frequently an action occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

26%

Academia

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "every other day" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate that something occurs at intervals of two days. Ludwig AI validates its accuracy and widespread use. Analysis of examples reveals its frequent presence in News & Media, Science, and Academia, showing its versatility across different communication styles. The phrase's strength lies in its clarity for specifying frequency, making it vital for clear and concise writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on alternate days

Replaces "every other" with "alternate", maintaining the same meaning.

every second day

Substitutes "other" with "second", directly specifying the interval.

on alternating days

Similar to "on alternate days", slightly rephrased for emphasis.

at two-day intervals

Specifies the interval between occurrences more explicitly.

every odd day

Uses "odd" to imply the alternating pattern, assuming a starting point.

every even day

Uses "even" to imply the alternating pattern, assuming a starting point.

bi-diurnally

A more formal, less common adverb meaning 'every two days'.

on a semi-daily basis

Suggests a near-daily occurrence with some gaps.

every weekday

Restricts the frequency to only weekdays.

intermittently

Indicates actions that are not continuous or steady.

FAQs

How can I use "every other day" in a sentence?

You can use "every other day" to describe actions that occur at two-day intervals. For example, "I water my plants "every other day"".

What are some alternatives to saying "every other day"?

Alternatives include "on alternate days", "every second day", or specifying the interval as "at two-day intervals".

Is it correct to say "every day" instead of "every other day"?

No, "every day" means each day, while "every other day" means at intervals of two days. They have different meanings.

What's the difference between "every other day" and "twice a day"?

"Every other day" indicates something happens once in two days, whereas "twice a day" means something happens two times within the same day.