over the next while

USAGE SUMMARY

"over the next while" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is especially useful in contexts where you are speaking about a period of time that is not clearly defined. For example: "I plan to take a break from work over the next while and focus on some creative projects."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"We spent months digging into the Snowden archive, writing lots of stories from them … We're going to be spacing out stories over the next while based on some really interesting information," he said.

The Guardian

And there are more to be posted over the next while, so go see for yourself here.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A score of Wozzeck by Berg, because I'm doing it three times over the next wee while.

The Guardian - Music

"You'll find over the next little while no doubt arguments or issues about why there wasn't more coordination or who was meant to be advising who," he said.

The Guardian

Labour wants to increase the number of high-quality ones by 80,000 a year, the Conservatives want to create 3m new posts over the next parliament, while the Lib Dems want to double the number of employers offering the apprenticeships, particularly in the engineering sector.

The Economist

The competition was created to support the DOE's larger goal of reducing energy consumption in commercial, multi-family, public and industrial buildings by at least 20percentt over the next decade while encouraging college students to come up with their own innovation solutions.

Yale University

In an interview with TechCrunch, Revv co-founders Anupam Agarwal (CEO) and Karan Jain (COO) said the plan is to expand to 30 cities over the next 12-18 months while growing the fleet size to 10,000-12,000.

TechCrunch

Once again, I ended the day with plenty of power in reserve (over 40% this time), and since today (Saturday) is a travel day, I don't anticipate digging too deep into its capacity over the next little while, either.

TechCrunch

In an interview with TechCrunch, Revv co-founders Anupam Agarwal (CEO) and Karan Jain (COO) said the plan is to expand to 30 cities over the next 12-18 months while growing the fleet size to 10,000-12,000 10,000-12,000

TechCrunch

Over the next century, while various universities played with other modalities including radio and television-based distance learning – most notably in the UK, with the Open University – correspondence degrees in the U.S. remained solidly grounded on paper and the U.S. Postal Service.

Forbes

Their challenge is to position themselves for a cannibalization of their current core business over the next decades while increasingly taking on more significant positions in the emerging new energy industry.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "over the next while" when you want to refer to an indefinite period in the near future, especially when the exact duration is not known or not important to specify.

Common error

While acceptable, "over the next while" can sound vague in formal contexts. Opt for more specific timeframes like "in the next few months" or "within the coming year" to maintain precision.

Linguistic Context

Adverbial phrase indicating a period of time. The phrase "over the next while" functions as an adverbial, modifying a verb or clause by specifying when an action will occur or a state will exist. Ludwig confirms that it is correct and can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "over the next while" is a grammatically correct way to refer to an unspecified period in the near future. While Ludwig identifies it as acceptable for written English, it's more common in news and media or slightly informal contexts. For academic or business writing, consider more precise alternatives like "in the coming months" or "within the next year". Keep in mind that while useful for setting a general timeframe, overusing it can lead to a lack of precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the near future

Specifies that something will happen soon, without a precise timeline.

in the coming period

Replaces "next while" with a more formal and general term for a span of time.

in the following period

Suggests a period directly after the current one, offering a slightly more structured tone.

in the foreseeable future

Indicates a time frame that can be reasonably predicted or anticipated.

in the approaching timeframe

Uses 'approaching' to indicate that the timeframe is nearing.

over the subsequent time

Similar to 'following period' but uses slightly more formal vocabulary.

in the short term

Focuses on a relatively brief period from the present.

in the interim

Refers to the time between two events, implying a temporary arrangement.

for the time being

Implies a temporary situation or action that will last an unspecified amount of time.

in due course

Means 'at the appropriate time' or 'eventually', suggesting a natural progression.

FAQs

How can I use "over the next while" in a sentence?

You can use "over the next while" to refer to an unspecified period in the near future. For example, "We're going to be spacing out stories over the next while based on some really interesting information."

What phrases are similar to "over the next while"?

Similar phrases include "in the near future", "in the coming weeks", or "in the short term".

Is "over the next while" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "over the next while" might be considered too informal for some academic or business contexts. Consider using more specific time references instead.

What's a more precise alternative to "over the next while"?

If you need to be more precise, consider alternatives such as "in the next few months", "within the next year", or "during the coming quarter", depending on the situation.