minute by minute

USAGE SUMMARY

"minute by minute" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happens over a very short amount of time. Example: The tension in the room increased minute by minute as the crowd awaited the judge's decision.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

Chelsea living minute by minute.

The New York Times

In "Minute by Minute......

The New Yorker

In Auschwitz, it was minute by minute".

Independent

The numbers kept climbing minute by minute.

Stanford University

Israel's cities are changing minute by minute.

Yale University

Laughter is easier, minute by minute.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Updated minute-by-minute.

The Guardian

Satellites provide minute-by-minute weather analysis.

The New York Times

Monster minute-by-minute alert!

The Guardian - Sport

We get nearly minute-by-minute statistics.

The New York Times

CNN had minute-by-minute updates.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "minute by minute" to describe situations where changes or developments are happening rapidly and noticeably within short time intervals. This emphasizes the fast pace and constant updates.

Common error

Avoid using "minute by minute" to describe events that unfold slowly over hours or days. This dilutes the phrase's impact and misrepresents the pace of developments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "minute by minute" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to indicate the speed or frequency of an action. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across diverse contexts, emphasizing ongoing or rapidly changing situations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "minute by minute" functions as an adverbial phrase, describing actions that occur continuously or change rapidly in short intervals. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use and grammatical correctness. Primarily found in News & Media, it's also present in academic and scientific contexts. While the phrase has several alternatives such as "moment by moment" or "gradually", each carries slightly different nuances. Using "minute by minute" effectively involves applying it to contexts where continuous, rapid change is central to the description.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moment by moment

Focuses on each individual moment, similar to "minute by minute" but emphasizes the immediacy.

step by step

Highlights a sequential progression, often used in processes or instructions, differing from the time-based nature of "minute by minute".

gradually

Emphasizes the slowness of change, unlike "minute by minute" which can imply rapid changes occurring frequently.

incrementally

Highlights the small increases over time, similar to "minute by minute" focusing on the accumulation of these increments.

bit by bit

Implies a piecemeal approach, different than "minute by minute" which focuses strictly on time progression.

hour by hour

Expands the timeframe to hourly intervals, less frequent than changes occurring "minute by minute".

day by day

Further extends the timeframe, emphasizing a slower rate of change than "minute by minute".

ceaselessly

Focuses on the continuous nature of something, without explicit reference to time intervals as "minute by minute" does.

continuously

Similar to ceaselessly, focusing on an uninterrupted action rather than changes measured in minutes.

in real time

Emphasizes immediacy and lack of delay, rather than frequent incremental changes of "minute by minute".

FAQs

How can I use "minute by minute" in a sentence?

You can use "minute by minute" to describe rapidly changing situations. For example, "The stock market fluctuated "minute by minute" after the announcement."

What's a good substitute for "minute by minute"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "moment by moment", "gradually", or "in real time".

Is "minute-by-minute" the same as "minute by minute"?

Yes, "minute-by-minute" is a hyphenated version of "minute by minute". Both are acceptable, but "minute by minute" is more common. The hyphenated form often acts as an adjective, like in "minute-by-minute updates".

In what contexts is "minute by minute" most appropriately used?

"Minute by minute" is best used when describing events that change rapidly or when tracking progress very closely. It's often used in news reporting, live updates, or to describe urgent situations.