several hours long

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'several hours long' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to describe something that takes a few hours to complete. For example, "My music class is several hours long, so I always make sure I get there early."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

There were reports of lines where the wait was several hours long in at least three other counties.

The New York Times

"We know for sure that it will be several hours long," a spokesman told the news agency.

The Guardian

I spent the next several hours, long after she went to bed, pouring over the death-row section of the Texas prison-system site.

The New Yorker

By their very nature, programmes such as Bake Off would be extremely difficult to broadcast live – episodes would end up being several hours long because of the length of the bakes.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

For the solution with 2 wt % PEO400k, the erasion time of this memory effect could be several hours long.

Polymer

a) Lava level on November 20 , 2010 showing two episodes of gas pistoning, each lasting several hours long and involving the rise of the lava lake by about 15 m.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Moving on, the husband, flipping through one month's invoice, noticed several, hour-long conversations that were with one particular phone number.

TechCrunch

HASI comprised a set of accelerometers, temperature sensors, pressure transducers and permittivity analysers aimed at the investigation of Titan atmosphere, which were fully operative during a several hour-long parachuted descent from an altitude of 157 km to planetary surface.

Planetary and Space Science

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Vice

As a teacher, your day is composed of several hour-long performances performances you're expecting your audience to disrupt, heckle, or disengage from.

Vice

29, 30 Study communities had diverse drinking water sources: in Santa Clara, a municipal system delivered water to most households during several hour-long intervals each day, while families in the surrounding settlements shared neighborhood artesian wells or wells operated by a hand pump.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "several hours long" to clearly indicate a duration that is more than two hours but less than a full day. It provides a general estimate without being overly precise.

Common error

Avoid using "several hours long" when you have a precise measurement of time. If you know something lasted exactly three hours, it's better to say "three hours long" rather than using an approximation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "several hours long" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its duration. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it commonly qualifies events, meetings, or processes, indicating they last for a few hours.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "several hours long" is a grammatically sound adjectival phrase used to describe durations. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. It provides a general sense of duration, suitable when an exact time is not needed or known. While versatile, it's best to avoid it when you have a precise measurement. Similar phrases include "lasting several hours" and "spanning multiple hours". Use "several hours long" to efficiently communicate an approximate time frame.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Lasting several hours

Focuses on the duration of something, replacing "long" with a verb.

A few hours in duration

Replaces "several" with "a few" and uses "in duration" to specify the time period.

Spanning multiple hours

Uses "spanning" to indicate the length of time.

Extended for several hours

Emphasizes the extension of time.

A duration of several hours

Nominalizes the phrase, focusing on duration as a noun.

Hours-long

Hyphenates the phrase for adjectival use.

Taking up several hours

Focuses on the time consumed by an activity.

A couple of hours long

Uses "a couple" instead of "several", implying a slightly shorter duration.

Occupying several hours

Highlights the time occupied.

Lasting a number of hours

More formal than "several hours long".

FAQs

How can I use "several hours long" in a sentence?

You can use "several hours long" to describe the duration of an event or activity. For example, "The meeting was "several hours long", so everyone was exhausted afterwards."

What phrases are similar to "several hours long"?

Alternatives include "lasting several hours", "a few hours in duration", or "spanning multiple hours", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "several hours long" in formal writing?

Yes, "several hours long" is generally acceptable in formal writing. However, for increased precision, you might consider stating the exact duration if known.

Can "several hours long" be used to describe both events and physical objects?

While it primarily describes the duration of events or activities, you could use "several hours long" metaphorically for physical objects, although it's less common. For example, "The shadow cast by the building was metaphorically "several hours long" as the sun set."