Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
overall duration
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
"overall duration" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the amount of time something takes or lasts, such as an event, a project, a task, or a process. For example, "The overall duration of the project was four months."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Formal & Business
Alternative expressions(4)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
60 human-written examples
For instance, she recommends that bond investors shorten the overall duration or maturities of their fixed-income investments.
News & Media
The heavenly adagio sprawls to 30 minutes, extending the work's overall duration to nearly an hour and a half.
News & Media
Thomas Spalding, manager of several portfolios at Nuveen Investments in Chicago, said he planned to sell some longer-dated bonds and to buy shorter ones to bring down his funds' overall duration.
News & Media
The average overall duration of follow-up was 2 years.
The overall duration of Valsalva maneuver was 10 s.
There were small differences in overall duration of <10%, i.e. between 10 and 20 ms.
Furthermore, all sibilants had about the same overall duration of about 350 ms.
Second, the overall duration of visits was much longer than in previous reports of OVP.
Science
Note that the density of the graph has a limited impact on the overall duration.
Science
In both cases what is of interest for the proposed study is the overall duration of the trip.
In the synthesis phase, given the input text, the corresponding state sequence is decided by maximizing the overall duration probability.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When specifying the "overall duration" of an event or process, be precise with units (e.g., hours, days, weeks) to avoid ambiguity.
Common error
Avoid mixing time units when describing "overall duration". For example, don't say "the project took 2 years and 6 months" without converting to a single unit (30 months or 2.5 years).
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "overall duration" primarily functions as a noun phrase. It is used to denote the total extent of time that something lasts or continues, indicating a specific period from start to finish. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically sound and prevalent in diverse contexts.
Frequent in
Science
58%
News & Media
21%
Wiki
9%
Less common in
Formal & Business
7%
Encyclopedias
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "overall duration" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase that describes the total length of time something lasts. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage spans across diverse fields, from science and medicine to news and business. While alternatives like "total time" or "entire length" exist, "overall duration" offers a clear and objective way to quantify time. When using this phrase, ensure consistency in time units and aim for precision to avoid ambiguity. Remember that, according to the data, the expression appears more frequently in scientific writing, reflecting its role to precisely measuring time frames for experiments and observations.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
total time
Focuses on the accumulated time, subtly emphasizing the sum of intervals.
entire length
Emphasizes the spatial or temporal extent rather than the specific timing.
complete timeframe
Highlights the defined beginning and end points of an activity.
aggregate span
Emphasizes the collected or combined extent of something over time.
full course
Suggests the entirety of a process or sequence from start to finish.
end-to-end period
Highlights the measure from the initial point to the final point.
total running time
Commonly used in contexts where something is actively progressing.
cumulative time
Highlights the accumulation of time over a given period.
period of completion
Emphasizes the time it takes to finalize a process.
absolute time
Focuses on the whole, without partitioning it.
FAQs
How can I use "overall duration" in a sentence?
You can use "overall duration" to describe the total length of time something lasts. For example, "The "overall duration" of the study was two years".
What's the difference between "overall duration" and "total duration"?
"Overall duration" and "total duration" are largely interchangeable. However, "total duration" might slightly emphasize the sum of individual parts, while "overall duration" emphasizes the entire period.
What are some alternatives to "overall duration"?
Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "total time", "entire length", or "complete timeframe".
Is it correct to say "the overall duration is short"?
Yes, it is perfectly correct. You can use "overall duration" with adjectives like "short", "long", "significant", etc., to describe the length of time something takes.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested