just recently

USAGE SUMMARY

'just recently' is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has happened recently. For example: "I just recently heard an interesting story about a bunch of monkeys."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Just recently," I said.

The New Yorker

Just recently, the UN.

The New York Times

Just recently, that has started to change.

The New York Times

Just recently, though, I discovered video instruction.

The New York Times

"Just recently I've been driving taxis".

The New Yorker

He just recently died at age 96.

The New York Times

"This is not just recently either.

The Guardian - Sport

This room just recently changed.

The New York Times

He had just recently died.

The New Yorker

"We had just recently re-hired him.

The Guardian

Smith-Schuster: I just recently started.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "just recently" to emphasize the nearness of an event or action. It adds a sense of immediacy.

Common error

While acceptable, "just recently" can sound repetitive if overused in formal contexts. Consider using synonyms like "lately" or "in recent times" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "just recently" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate when an action occurred. It specifies the timing of the action, emphasizing that it happened in the very near past. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "just recently" is a common and grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to denote that something occurred in the immediate past. According to Ludwig and the provided examples, it is widely used across various contexts, especially in news and media, and academia. While generally neutral in tone, it can be replaced with alternatives like "lately" or "very recently" depending on the specific emphasis required. As stated by Ludwig AI, it is perfectly acceptable in written English, adding a sense of immediacy to any statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Very recently

Emphasizes the short time span more strongly than "just recently".

Lately

Similar meaning, but lacks the emphasis of immediacy that "just recently" provides.

Not long ago

Focuses on the recency by negating the length of time.

In recent times

More formal and emphasizes a period, not a specific moment.

A short while ago

Focuses on the brief duration of time passed.

In the recent past

Formal and emphasizes that the event is over.

In the last few days

More specific about the timeframe.

Of late

Slightly archaic and more literary.

In the immediate past

More formal, highlighting the direct sequence of events.

As of late

A more stilted and somewhat archaic version of 'lately'.

FAQs

How can I use "just recently" in a sentence?

"Just recently" is used to indicate that something happened a short time ago. For example, "I just recently started learning to play the guitar."

What are some alternatives to saying "just recently"?

You can use alternatives like "lately", "recently", or "not long ago", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "just recently" and "recently"?

"Just recently" often implies a shorter period of time than just "recently". It emphasizes the immediacy of the event.

Is it correct to say "just recently" or should I use another phrase?

Yes, "just recently" is grammatically correct and commonly used. However, alternatives like "very recently" or "of late" may be more appropriate in certain contexts.