every other month

USAGE SUMMARY

"every other month" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to an occurrence that takes place once every two months. For example, "We hold department meetings every other month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A About every other month.

The New York Times

Schedule: every other month.

The New York Times - Magazine

The family visits Abramson every other month.

The New York Times - Sports

An education session and group discussion held every other month.

Stanford University

Harvesting began in March 1998 and continued every other month through January 2000.

Industrial Crops and Products

"A psychologist comes from Nouakchott every other month.

The Guardian

I average about one serious threat every other month.

The Guardian - Opinion

New York Lawyer will be published every other month.

The New York Times

He visits the region at least every other month.

The New Yorker

Workshops will be held every other month through August 2002.

The New York Times

Guardian.co.uk only reports monthly users every other month.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "every other month" to clearly indicate an event or action that occurs once every two months. Ensure the context makes the meaning unambiguous, especially since "bi-monthly" can be confusing.

Common error

Avoid using "bi-monthly" when you mean "every other month", as it can also mean twice a month. "Every other month" is clearer and prevents misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every other month" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by specifying the frequency or interval at which an action occurs. This is supported by Ludwig AI and various examples where it describes how often meetings, visits, publications, or treatments take place.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "every other month" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate that something occurs once every two months. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for use in written English. While highly frequent in contexts such as news, academia, and science, caution is advised due to potential confusion with the term "bi-monthly". For clarity, especially in formal settings, consider alternatives like "once every two months". This phrase functions to specify frequency and maintain precision in communicating schedules or recurring events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

once every two months

This is a more explicit and less ambiguous way of saying "every other month".

every two months

Focuses on the duration between occurrences rather than the alternating pattern.

every second month

Uses a numerical adjective, making it slightly more formal or technical.

bi-monthly

This term directly translates to twice a month, or once every two months, but can be ambiguous without context.

alternate months

Emphasizes the alternating pattern of the event or action.

on alternating months

Similar to "alternate months" but with a slightly different grammatical structure.

at two-month intervals

More formal and emphasizes the consistent spacing of the events.

every 60 days

More precise, using a specific number of days instead of months.

one month out of two

This phrase is longer and more descriptive.

every other rotation of the month

This phrase is less common, complex, and slightly more emphatic.

FAQs

What does "every other month" mean?

The phrase "every other month" means that something happens once every two months. It indicates an event occurs in alternating months, skipping one month in between each occurrence.

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

You can use "every other month" to describe the frequency of an event. For example: "The committee meets "once every two months"" or "I visit my family "on alternate months"".

What's a clearer way to say "every other month" to avoid confusion?

To avoid ambiguity, especially with the term "bi-monthly", you can use phrases like ""once every two months"" or "every second month".

Is "every other month" the same as "bi-monthly"?

Not always. "Bi-monthly" can mean twice a month or "once every two months". To be clear, it's better to use "every other month" when you mean once every two months.