military time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "military time" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to the 24-hour clock system commonly used in military contexts. An example is: "The meeting is scheduled for 1500 hours." Alternative expressions include "24-hour time" and "military format."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And the time (military time anyway) was 20 02.

The New York Times

"13:15," he wrote, noting the military time.

The New York Times

They got screens giving starting schedules in military time.

The New York Times

Not surprisingly for those who know him, it's set to military time.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"The timer on the detonator, it was on military time," a police source later told me.

The Guardian

Fort Jay isn't just scenic; it also has military ghosts, and we live in a military time.

The New York Times - Arts

"He told me what kind of shoes to wear, what kind of clothes, and where to be — in military time," Ms. Blackwell said, laughing.

The New York Times

After mentally converting the military time to 2 40 p.m., Mr. Lenzi assented to another pitcher of beer for their table.

The New York Times

Go to the Blog Related Op-Ed Contributor: Military Time, Civilian Time (December 11 , 2009 Opinion Brian Turner in Home Fires Read the war veteran's columns.

The New York Times

In rosewood veneer board, it shows only military time; $310 at Property, 14 Wooster Street (Canal Street) or [phone].

The New York Times

We're going to deliver this in five years," which sounds like a long time, but in military time is pretty darn quick.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always include four digits, adding a leading zero for morning hours, such as 0800 instead of 800.

Common error

Avoid using 2400 and 0000 interchangeably without context; 2400 is typically used to denote the end of a specific day's activities, while 0000 marks the beginning of the new day.

Linguistic Context

In English grammar, "military time" acts as a compound noun phrase. It identifies a specific system of timekeeping based on a 24-hour clock. According to Ludwig AI, it is most often used to contrast with the 12-hour AM/PM system. Syntactically, it frequently serves as the object of prepositions like "in" or "to", as seen in many instructional contexts.

Frequent in

Wiki

36%

News & Media

34%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "military time" is a vital linguistic tool for ensuring clarity and preventing scheduling errors. Data from Ludwig shows it is a "Very common" expression across diverse platforms, from highly respected news outlets like The New York Times to scientific journals and instructional wikis. Unlike the 12-hour system, it provides a continuous 24-hour count that is indispensable in global logistics, aviation and healthcare. Ludwig AI indicates that while the term is frequently swapped with "24-hour clock", the military designation specifically implies a format without colons and a specific spoken syntax. Writers should choose this phrase when they want to emphasize technical accuracy or specific institutional protocols.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

24-hour clock

Most standard term used internationally outside of North America.

24-hour time

A simpler variation of the primary phrase.

24-hour format

Commonly used in digital interface settings and software.

military format

Refers to the structural way time is written rather than the concept itself.

international time

Refers to the system used for global coordination and travel.

hundred hours

Specific spoken convention used in military protocol (e.g. "fifteen hundred hours").

zero-hundred hours

Specifically refers to the start of the day at midnight.

Zulu time

Refers specifically to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) used in aviation.

astronomical time

Scientific context where a 24-hour cycle is used for celestial tracking.

railroad time

Historical term for standardized schedules using continuous numbering.

FAQs

What is the difference between "military time" and the 24-hour clock?

While both use a 24-hour cycle, "military time" is usually written without a colon and often spoken with the word "hours", whereas a "24-hour clock" in civilian life usually includes the colon (e.g. 15:30).

How do you say 12:00 PM in "military time"?

In "military time", 12:00 PM is expressed as "twelve hundred hours". This is significantly different from midnight, which is "zero hundred hours".

Can I use "military time" in a formal essay?

Yes, but it is often better to use "24-hour format" or "24-hour time" unless you are specifically discussing military or emergency services.

Is "military time" always four digits?

Yes, to maintain precision and standardized data, it should always be written with four digits, unlike "standard time" which can be one or two digits for the hour.