it spends time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it spends time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the act of dedicating or allocating time to a particular activity or situation. Example: "During the weekends, it spends time volunteering at the local animal shelter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Though it spends time with Mr. Koch in the present and summarizes his premayoral life (some of it spent in Newark), "Koch" is above all a chronicle of New York civic life from 1977 to 1989.

The New York Times

The arm is duly delivered to Miami, "the floating-human-body-parts capital of America," but for reasons that make sense only in a Carl Hiaasen novel, it spends time among the Popsicles in Andrew Yancy's freezer.

The New York Times - Books

(What happens to lost baggage? Most of it spends time in Chicago. How do farmers find out the temperature? Divide the number of cricket chirps per minute by four, then add 40. The result is the ambient temperature in Fahrenheit).

The New York Times - Books

Evidently, if we want to make an application go fast, we must first understand what it spends time doing.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

First and foremost, it spends time with big and small companies from a wide range of industries — from agtech to automotive to e-commerce — to learn about their pain points, then it scours universities with which it has ties so see if they are, literally in some cases, cooking up anything that might address these issues.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Before its reached this stage, letting it spend time indoors with as many different people and other healthy dogs as possible will help in its socialization.

WikiHow

Possibly it spent time lying around Rosso's studio.

The New York Times

Talk to it, spend time with it, make it your ally".

The New York Times - Books

Is it spending time with your family or escaping to another country for an adventure?

The Guardian - Arts

Ando struggled to deliver the high-quality product it spent time and energy creating in the kitchen.

TechCrunch

A professional wine taster will often meditate on the bouquet of the wine for many minutes before tasting it, spending time thinking about what scents are most pronounced.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing how a program or process uses processing resources, use "it spends time" to indicate the relative duration of different operations. This emphasizes the performance aspect.

Common error

Avoid using "it spends time" in situations where the action is not clearly defined or measurable. Instead of saying "it spends time learning", specify the learning activity: "it spends time researching market trends".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it spends time" functions as a verb phrase, describing how a subject allocates or dedicates its time. Ludwig shows examples across different domains.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Wiki

22%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it spends time" is a versatile expression used to describe how something allocates or dedicates its time, as supported by Ludwig. While grammatically sound, "it spends time" is categorized as uncommon in frequency. Ludwig AI confirms that it works well in different contexts. Alternatives such as ""it dedicates time"" and ""it allocates time"" can be used for formal tone. When writing, ensure that the use of "it spends time" is clear and specific to avoid vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it dedicates time

Replaces "spends" with "dedicates", emphasizing a deliberate allocation of time.

it allocates time

Substitutes "spends" with "allocates", suggesting a more formal assignment of time.

it invests time

Uses "invests" instead of "spends", implying that time is used with the expectation of a return or benefit.

it devotes time

Replaces "spends" with "devotes", highlighting a commitment of time to a specific purpose.

it allots time

Similar to "allocates", but can suggest a more structured or limited amount of time.

it passes time

Focuses on the act of time elapsing rather than purposeful allocation.

it occupies its time

Highlights how something fills or engages its time.

it fills its days

Shifts the focus to the duration of days and how they're used.

it busies itself

Implies active engagement during a time period.

it occupies time

Focuses on how the time is being filled.

FAQs

What does "it spends time" mean?

The phrase "it spends time" refers to the action of dedicating or allocating time to a specific activity or state. It indicates how a subject uses its time.

How can I use "it spends time" in a sentence?

You can use "it spends time" to describe the duration of an activity. For example, "The application spends time processing data" indicates that data processing consumes a portion of the application's operational time.

What are some alternatives to "it spends time"?

Alternatives include phrases like "it dedicates time", "it allocates time", or "it invests time". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is "it spends time" formal or informal?

The phrase "it spends time" is generally neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, more formal alternatives like "it dedicates time" might be preferred in academic or professional writing.