over two hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over two hours" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a duration that exceeds two hours, often in contexts related to time spent on an activity or event. Example: "The meeting lasted for over two hours, which was longer than we had anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Harlot!" The interview took over two hours.

The New Yorker

Charging took over two hours.

The Guardian - Tech

It had taken over two hours.

The New Yorker

He got lost, and the journey took over two hours.

The Guardian - Sport

This article originally appeared on VICE US.

Vice

Despite being over two hours long, the film goes by rather quickly.

Huffington Post

We hiked for over two hours.

The New York Times

The tape runs for over two hours.

The Guardian - Travel

Kept me in some holding room for over two hours.

Independent

And the rest of it was structured over two hours.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

The fluence integrated over two-hours exceeds 3.6e^8.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying a duration, use "over two hours" to clearly indicate that the time exceeds two hours. Be precise with context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "in two hours" when you mean "for over two hours". "In two hours" indicates a point in the future, while "for over two hours" specifies a duration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over two hours" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase modifying verbs or adjectives, indicating the duration or extent of an action or state. As per Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "over two hours" is a grammatically sound and frequently used way to express a duration exceeding two hours. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's correct and versatile. It commonly appears in contexts such as describing the length of events in news reports or specifying time spans in scientific studies. While alternatives like "more than two hours" exist, "over two hours" provides a clear and concise way to convey the duration. Remember to avoid confusing it with "in two hours", which refers to a future point in time rather than a duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than two hours

Replaces "over" with "more than", a direct synonym indicating a duration exceeding two hours.

longer than two hours

Emphasizes the duration as being extended past two hours.

exceeding two hours

A more formal way of saying something lasts more than two hours.

in excess of two hours

A formal alternative to indicate a duration greater than two hours.

past two hours

Focuses on the time having gone beyond the two-hour mark.

two hours plus

An informal way to indicate a little more than two hours.

beyond a couple of hours

Uses "beyond" to suggest a duration longer than two hours.

a couple of hours and then some

An idiomatic way of saying more than two hours.

running for two hours or more

Highlights the continuous duration lasting at least two hours.

spanning more than two hours

Implies that the event or activity covers a period exceeding two hours.

FAQs

How can I use "over two hours" in a sentence?

You can use "over two hours" to indicate a duration exceeding two hours, such as, "The meeting lasted "over two hours"" or "The journey took "over two hours"".

What can I say instead of "over two hours"?

Alternatives include "more than two hours", "longer than two hours", or "in excess of two hours", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "more than two hours" instead of "over two hours"?

Yes, "more than two hours" is a perfectly acceptable and often interchangeable alternative to "over two hours". Both indicate a duration exceeding two hours.

What's the difference between "in two hours" and "over two hours"?

"In two hours" refers to a point in time in the future, while ""over two hours"" refers to a duration of time that exceeds two hours. For example, "I will arrive in two hours" versus "The flight lasted "over two hours"".