in late December

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in late December" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a specific time period towards the end of December, typically in the context of events, deadlines, or occurrences. Example: "We are planning to hold the annual meeting in late December to discuss the year's progress."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

The movie theater reopened in late December.

The New York Times

Ms. Slater moved in late December.

The New York Times

In late December, Brig.

The New York Times

(It finally opened in late December).

The New Yorker

It will ship in late December.

The New York Times - Tech

Fortunately, the weather in late December cooperated.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Gosu is scheduled to open in late December or January.

Vice

The deadline for those claims is in late December 2003.

The New York Times

The testing began in late December 2007.

Wikipedia

It made another appearance at #101 in late December 1959.

Wikipedia

Congress approved the PTC extension to avoid the "fiscal cliff" in late December last year.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a time frame, "in late December" is suitable for general contexts. If you need to highlight the end of a specific year, include the year for clarity. For example, "The project concluded in late December 2024".

Common error

Avoid using "at late December" or "on late December". The correct preposition is "in". Remember "in" is used for months and years.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in late December" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an event or action takes place. It modifies a verb or clause by providing a temporal context. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

28%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in late December" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to specify a timeframe towards the end of the year. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. Analysis of various sources indicates that it is most frequently found in news and media, scientific articles and wiki entries, and it maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse contexts. When using the phrase, ensure the preposition is "in", not "at" or "on", and include the year if the context requires more precision. For variety, alternatives such as "toward the end of December" or "during the latter part of December" can be used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

toward the end of December

Replaces "in late December" with a slightly more descriptive phrase using "toward the end of".

in the last part of December

Uses "last part" instead of "late" offering a different wording but keeping the same meaning.

during the latter part of December

Replaces "late" with "latter", a more formal synonym.

in the final weeks of December

Indicates the same timeframe with emphasis on the weeks.

at the tail end of December

Uses the idiomatic expression "tail end" to convey the end of December.

close to the new year

Refers to the time proximity with the new year instead of focusing on December directly

in the holiday season

Uses a more general phrase related to the season.

around the December holidays

Broader term that encompasses multiple holidays during December.

by year's end

Focuses on the end of the year, encompassing the late December period.

December ending

A shortened version denoting December's final days.

FAQs

What's another way to say "in late December"?

You can use phrases like "toward the end of December", "during the latter part of December", or "in the final weeks of December" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "at late December" instead of "in late December"?

No, the correct preposition to use is "in". "At late December" is grammatically incorrect. Always use "in late December".

How specific is the timeframe "in late December"?

The phrase "in late December" generally refers to the last third of the month, approximately from December 21st to December 31st. It's not as specific as providing an exact date.

Can I use "in late December" to refer to early January?

While the very end of December and the very beginning of January are close, it's more precise to say "in early January" for events occurring in the first few days of January. "In late December" should primarily refer to the latter part of December.