in the space of

USAGE SUMMARY

"in the space of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a short or limited period of time: "In the space of just a few hours, the entire landscape changed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Everything – in the space of one match.

Independent

All in the space of a minute.

The New York Times - Sports

In the space of a sentence.

The Guardian - Sport

Today they managed it in the space of 40 overs.

The Guardian - Sport

That's just in the space of a few pages.

The New York Times - Books

In the space of that conversation we started hearing gunshots".

The Guardian

Often in the space of a single song.

The Guardian - Music

From champions to underachievers in the space of 12 months.

The Guardian - Sport

In the space of 48 hours, the dam has broken.

The Guardian - Opinion

They collapsed twice in the space of under 100 overs.

The Guardian - Sport

In the space of a year they raised £3m.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in the space of" to clearly indicate the duration in which an event or change occurs, providing context for the speed or scale of the event. For example, "The company's profits doubled in the space of a year."

Common error

Avoid using "in the space of" when referring to static locations or volumes. This phrase implies a temporal duration, not a physical area. Instead of saying "The documents were stored in the space of the cabinet", consider "The documents were stored inside the cabinet."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the space of" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a timeframe or duration. According to Ludwig, it is a valid and usable English phrase. The phrase typically modifies a verb or clause, specifying when an action or event occurred.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

27%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in the space of" is a grammatically correct and very common prepositional phrase used to indicate the duration or interval within which something occurs. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's widely used across different contexts, particularly in News & Media and Scientific writing. While neutral in tone, its formality depends on the surrounding text. When writing, it's essential to use it for temporal durations, as confusion with other context types might occur. This analysis is based on a broad range of examples, ensuring its reliability and applicability in diverse situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

within a period of

Emphasizes the boundary of a time frame.

during the time of

Highlights the simultaneity of events within a timeframe.

over the course of

Suggests a process or development occurring within a timeframe.

within the duration of

Focuses on the length of the timeframe.

inside the timeframe of

Similar to 'within,' but with a slightly more explicit emphasis on the defined time period.

throughout the period of

Implies continuous action or presence during the specified time.

during the interval of

Uses a more technical term for time, suitable for formal contexts.

in a time frame of

More explicit and slightly less concise than "in the space of".

in a window of

Implies a limited opportunity or timeframe.

over a time of

Suggests review or continuation happening during the specified duration.

FAQs

How can I use "in the space of" in a sentence?

Use "in the space of" to specify that something happens within a defined period, like "He completed the project in the space of a week".

What are some alternatives to "in the space of"?

You can use alternatives such as "within a period of", "during the time of", or "over the course of" to convey a similar meaning depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to specify a time period after "in the space of"?

Yes, the phrase "in the space of" always requires a time frame to follow, indicating the duration within which an event occurs. For example, "the transformation happened in the space of minutes".

What is the difference between "in the space of" and "during"?

"In the space of" emphasizes the specific duration within which something happens, whereas "during" simply indicates that something occurs at some point within a period. For example, "the meeting took place during the afternoon" is less specific than "the decision was made in the space of an hour".