exorbitant time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exorbitant time" is not commonly used in written English and may not convey a clear meaning.
It could be used to describe a situation where a significant amount of time is considered excessive or unreasonable, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The project took an exorbitant time to complete, far longer than we had anticipated."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

And yet this young soldier is still facing exorbitant time in prison, because the information she revealed casts a dark shadow on the United States' war tactics.

The Guardian - Opinion

Melanie's description of her son's symptoms revealed the signs of video game addiction: demands to add to already exorbitant time gaming, sneaking and lying about gadget use, rages when parents tried to limit electronics, and profound damage to family relationships and school success from overuse of video games.

Huffington Post

Sequencing a genome this large using a rigorous BAC-by-BAC approach, however, would entail an exorbitant time and monetary cost.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

However, the practical applications of these methods are challenging because of the exorbitant calculation times required by current methods for contemporary data sizes, the difficulty in correctly modeling the rate heterogeneity in highly diverse taxonomic groups, and the lack of reliable clock calibrations and their uncertainty distributions for most groups of species.

BMC Genomics

As a result, some firms might win the same worker multiple times, while other companies spend an exorbitant amount of time and money seeking a specific foreign graduate of a U.S. university.

Huffington Post

In her ruling staying the charges, Judge Ann Nelson said she came to her decision because of the exorbitant length of time had violated the defendant's right to be tried in a reasonable time.

Vice

"I don't think that's exorbitant considering the time she needed to be available," Ms. Siegel said.

The New York Times

I have an acquaintance — someone I like but barely know — who spent what seemed to me to be an exorbitant amount of time doing absolutely nothing at all on the remote Italian island Pantelleria, photographing that nothing at all as though he were on sabbatical inside a Fellini film.

The New York Times - Magazine

Teleteaching of endoscopy has been limited by the exorbitant cost and time inherent in high-quality digital endoscopy video transmission.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Similarly, Uber spent an exorbitant amount of time, money and effort to set up its operations in China.

TechCrunch

Officials spent "exorbitant amounts of time" in meetings and generating data and reports to make their divisions look productive, he writes.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing excessively long durations, consider using more common alternatives like "excessive time" or "unreasonable time" to ensure clarity and avoid potential misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid using "exorbitant" repeatedly to describe time, as it can sound unnatural. Vary your language by using phrases like "excessive", "undue", or "inordinate" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exorbitant time" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "exorbitant" modifies the noun "time". Ludwig indicates that while grammatically acceptable, it's not the most common way to express the idea of an excessive duration. The examples provided show its use in describing durations considered unreasonably long.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exorbitant time" is used to describe a duration considered unreasonably long. While grammatically correct, Ludwig suggests that it's not a commonly used expression and phrases like "excessive time" or "unreasonable time" are usually preferred for clarity. The phrase appears in news and scientific contexts but is rare overall. Therefore, while understandable, writers should consider using more standard alternatives to avoid potential misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessive duration

Replaces "time" with "duration" while maintaining the meaning of an unreasonable length.

undue length of time

Substitutes "exorbitant" with "undue" and adds "of time" for emphasis, highlighting inappropriateness.

unreasonable timeframe

Replaces "time" with "timeframe" adding a connotation of unacceptability.

inordinate amount of time

Uses "inordinate amount" to express excessiveness more explicitly.

prolonged period

Focuses on the extended nature of the time, implying it is longer than necessary.

excessive waiting period

Specifies a context of waiting, adding detail about the time being spent.

extended delay

Highlights the delay aspect, making it clear that the time is causing postponement.

overlong duration

Combines "overlong" with "duration" to emphasize the excessive length.

considerable time

Emphasizes the substantial amount of time involved but lacks the negative connotation of "exorbitant".

lengthy timeframe

Uses 'lengthy' to describe the substantial period, but is less critical than 'exorbitant'.

FAQs

What does "exorbitant time" mean?

"Exorbitant time" refers to a period considered unreasonably long or excessive. It implies that the duration is much greater than what is necessary or acceptable.

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

You might say, "The project took an exorbitant time to complete", meaning it took much longer than expected or desired. It's often better to use phrases like "excessive time" or "unreasonable time".

What are some alternatives to "exorbitant time"?

Alternatives include "excessive time", "inordinate time", "undue time", or "unreasonable timeframe". These phrases convey a similar meaning of something taking longer than it should.

Is "exorbitant time" grammatically correct?

While grammatically sound, "exorbitant time" is not a frequently used phrase. It's more common and clearer to use alternatives such as "excessive time" or "unreasonable time", which are more widely understood.