over last year

USAGE SUMMARY

"over last year" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is often used to indicate that something happened during or has changed since the previous year. For example: "Revenue for the company increased by 17% over last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

So cry if you will over last year, then focus on the future.

Forbes

allocated, up 17.6 percent over last year.

The New York Times

Our attendance is up 40 percent over last year.

The New York Times

"It's an improvement over last year".

The New York Times

Up 6percentt over last year.

The New York Times - Food

That is a rise of 44.3 percent over last year.

The New York Times

It is a 2.3percentt rise over last year.

The New York Times

Evictions were up roughly a third over last year.

The New York Times

"We're still sick over last year," Al Harrington said.

The New York Times - Sports

Our bottom line for 2002 has grown over last year".

The New York Times - Style

OLN's Tour performance rose sharply over last year.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting percentage changes, clarify what baseline you're using. For example, instead of simply stating "sales are up", specify "sales are up 15% "over last year"".

Common error

Avoid using "in" or "during" when you mean "over last year" for comparisons. "Sales increased in last year" is grammatically incorrect; instead, use "Sales increased "over last year"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over last year" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to specify a time frame for comparison. It indicates a change or difference relative to the preceding year. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

25%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "over last year" is a common and grammatically correct way to compare data or trends to the previous year's corresponding period. Ludwig AI confirms this, with numerous examples from sources like The New York Times, Forbes and TechCrunch. It functions as an adverbial phrase, adding context to reports on growth, decline, or other changes. While suitable for most contexts, consider more formal alternatives like "year-over-year" in formal or analytical writing. Remember to avoid confusing "over" with other prepositions like "in" or "during" when making comparisons. By following these guidelines, you can effectively use "over last year" to communicate trends and changes accurately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

year-over-year

This is a more concise and often interchangeable term, commonly used in business contexts.

compared to last year

This alternative offers a direct comparison, emphasizing the contrast between the current and previous year.

from the previous year

This phrase highlights the origin or source being the year before the current one.

since last year

This alternative emphasizes the duration or period since the previous year.

in comparison with last year

This offers a more formal and explicit comparison than "over last year".

against the previous year

Similar to "compared to last year" but can imply a more competitive comparison.

relative to last year

This phrase indicates that something is being considered in proportion to the previous year.

compared with the year before

A slightly more verbose way of saying "compared to last year".

in relation to last year

This suggests a connection or association to the data from the previous year.

on a year-on-year basis

This is a formal term that emphasizes a continuous comparison over successive years.

FAQs

How can I use "over last year" in a sentence?

Use "over last year" to compare a current value to the corresponding value from the previous year. For example, "Our profits increased by 20% "over last year"".

What's the difference between "over last year" and "compared to last year"?

While both phrases indicate a comparison with the previous year, "over last year" is slightly less formal. "Compared to last year" is often used in more formal or analytical contexts.

What can I say instead of "over last year" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use phrases like "year-over-year", "in comparison with last year", or "relative to last year".

Is it always necessary to specify the time frame when using "over" for comparisons?

While "over" can be used for various comparisons, specifying the time frame (e.g., "over last year", "over the previous quarter") provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.