for some time now

USAGE SUMMARY

"for some time now" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that has been happening or existing for an indefinite length of time. For example, "He has been living in the city for some time now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Been going on for some time now.

The New York Times - Sports

I've had it for some time now".

The New Yorker

"Since when?" "For some time now.

The New Yorker

Pedro has been doing this for some time now.

The New York Times - Sports

For some time now, Republicans have been seeking an alternative.

The Economist

You've been working on a novel for some time now.

The New Yorker

For some time now, she'd done things Lance's way.

The New Yorker

The rumours have been circulating for some time now.

Independent

But it has been building momentum for some time now.

The New York Times - Books

Music videos have sexualised women for some time now.

The Guardian

They have been on the rise for some time now.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "for some time now" to indicate that a situation or activity has been ongoing for an indefinite period, without specifying an exact start date. This is useful when the precise beginning is unknown or unimportant.

Common error

Avoid using "for some time now" when you specifically mean a brief duration. The phrase implies a noticeable or significant period, so using it interchangeably with phrases indicating brevity will be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "for some time now" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the duration of an action or state. As Ludwig AI highlights, it denotes an unspecified but noticeable period.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "for some time now" is a versatile and widely used adverbial phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and used to indicate that a situation or action has been ongoing for an unspecified but considerable period. Predominantly found in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts, it maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. When looking for alternative expressions, consider options like "for a while now" or "lately" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for a while now

Indicates a period of time, similar to "for some time now", but can imply a slightly shorter or less definite duration.

for quite a while

Emphasizes the length of the time period, suggesting it has been a noticeable duration.

for a long time now

Highlights that the duration has been considerable, stressing the extended nature of the period.

for many years now

Specifies the duration in terms of years, making the length of time more explicit.

for several months now

Provides a more specific timeframe, indicating a duration of multiple months.

in recent times

Focuses on the recency of the period, suggesting it has occurred in the immediate past.

lately

Implies the period is recent and ongoing, often referring to habits or trends.

in recent years

Highlights a trend or pattern observed over the course of the past few years.

over the past few years

Similar to "in recent years", emphasizing a period spanning multiple years.

for the past several years

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the duration, specifying it as the past several years.

FAQs

How do I use "for some time now" in a sentence?

Use "for some time now" to indicate that a situation has existed or an action has been happening for a noteworthy duration. For example, "He's been working on that project "for some time now"".

What's a good alternative to "for some time now"?

Consider using phrases like "for a while now", "for a long time now", or "lately" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "for sometime now"?

No, the correct phrasing is ""for some time now"". The single word "sometime" has a different meaning, referring to an unspecified point in the future.

What's the difference between "for some time now" and "recently"?

"For some time now" suggests a period that has been ongoing, while "recently" implies something that happened in the very near past. The former indicates a duration, while the latter points to a specific point in time.