over 15 years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over 15 years" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a duration that exceeds 15 years, often in contexts related to experience, time spent, or age. Example: "She has been working in the industry for over 15 years, gaining valuable expertise along the way."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I started using rose-cut diamonds over 15 years ago.

The New York Times

Most of us have been doing "synchro" for over 15 years.

Huffington Post

María Eugenia Girón is an entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in luxury goods retailing.

Huffington Post

Dreyer is an artist and producer with over 15 years in marketing and television experience.

Huffington Post

They just dismissed the residents' views constantly over 15 years.

The Guardian

They envision a $2 billion investment over 15 years.

The New York Times

We bought out all but one over 15 years ago".

The New York Times

"We've been doing that for over 15 years".

The New York Times

I've been touring theatre productions for over 15 years now.

The Guardian

A New York State judge for over 15 years.

The New York Times

And over 15 years, the concept has proved itself correct.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing experience, use "over 15 years" to emphasize the extensive nature of that experience. For example, "She has worked in this field for "over 15 years", gaining considerable expertise."

Common error

Avoid substituting "over" with prepositions that don't accurately convey duration. For example, using "since 15 years" is grammatically incorrect; instead, use "for over 15 years".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over 15 years" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or adjectives to specify a duration of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable phrase. The examples show it describing experience, duration of events, or age.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "over 15 years" is a common and grammatically sound way to express a duration exceeding 15 years. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. Predominantly found in "News & Media" and "Science", it maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse contexts. For alternatives, consider "more than 15 years" or "exceeding 15 years". When writing, ensure the preposition accurately reflects duration, using "for over 15 years" instead of incorrect alternatives. This phrase is versatile for emphasizing experience, project timelines, or elapsed time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than 15 years

Replaces "over" with "more than", offering a direct synonym with minimal semantic change.

exceeding 15 years

Uses "exceeding" to convey a sense of surpassing the 15-year mark, adding a slightly more formal tone.

in excess of 15 years

Employs a more formal and emphatic tone compared to the original phrase, highlighting the duration's extent.

at least 15 years

Indicates a minimum duration of 15 years, shifting the focus from exceeding to meeting a threshold.

15 years plus

Simplifies the phrasing while maintaining the core meaning of a duration beyond 15 years. More informal.

a period exceeding 15 years

Specifies 'period' and uses exceeding to give a more formal tone.

for more than a decade and a half

Rephrases the time period using "decade and a half", offering a less literal but still comparable duration.

spanning more than 15 years

Emphasizes the duration as a continuous stretch of time using the verb "spanning".

15 years or longer

Offers a more flexible timeframe including the possibility of lasting exactly 15 years, or more.

a duration surpassing 15 years

Uses duration as a nominalization while mantaining the meaning of the QUERY.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "over 15 years"?

You can use alternatives like "more than 15 years", "exceeding 15 years", or "at least 15 years" depending on the context.

How do I use "over 15 years" in a sentence?

Use "over 15 years" to describe a duration or period exceeding 15 years. For example: "The company has been in operation for "over 15 years"."

Is it correct to say "more than 15 years" instead of "over 15 years"?

Yes, "more than 15 years" is a perfectly acceptable and nearly synonymous alternative to "over 15 years".

What is the difference between "for 15 years" and "over 15 years"?

"For 15 years" indicates a duration of exactly 15 years. "Over 15 years" indicates a duration longer than 15 years.