spanning back

USAGE SUMMARY

"spanning back" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about something that happened or exists in the past. For example, "The tradition of celebrating this holiday has been spanning back hundreds of years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Medical imaging informatics has origins spanning back over two or more decades.

Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

Palaeoecological studies spanning back to the Bølling/Allerød (GI-1) Interstadial of the Late Glacial in the whole Western Carpathians and adjacent lowlands are extremely scarce.

Quaternary International

She linked SB14 to a long history of racial discrimination in state elections spanning back generations, and declared the new law to be an unconstitutional poll tax.

The Guardian

Four months ago the enduring soap-ad family of Lynda, Michael and their two children sat down to their last supper around the familiar dining room table which has featured in numerous sketches spanning back 16 years.

The Guardian

All failed like HP's recent mobile ventures spanning back to Palm smartphones.

TechCrunch

These concerns have led to the development of domain specific clinical NLP systems spanning back many decades.

Journal of Big Data

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Spanning backs up Google Apps data for its customers on Amazon Web Services.

TechCrunch

Spanning backs up data incrementally, and doesn't overwrite the old backups with new ones.

TechCrunch

Spanning backs up all of your different Google Apps, so let's test out each one.

WikiHow

His music education spans back to his studies at the New York High School of Music and Art.

University of California, Berkeley

Time stopped as they span back and forth, inspecting the huddle of novice divers.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spanning back" to clearly indicate the duration or historical reach of a phenomenon, event, or tradition. For instance, "The history of this festival is spanning back centuries".

Common error

Do not use "spanning back" when a simpler verb like "dating" or "extending" suffices. Redundancy can weaken your writing. Prefer "dating back to" over "spanning back to" if the emphasis is on the origin date.

Linguistic Context

Spanning back functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the duration or historical reach of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's correct and usable in written English. Examples in Ludwig show it connecting a current state to a past origin or period.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spanning back" is a grammatically correct and frequently used verb phrase that effectively conveys the duration or historical reach of something into the past. As supported by Ludwig, it's suitable for diverse contexts, including news, science, and academia. While alternatives like "dating back" and "extending back" exist, "spanning back" provides a clear and concise way to indicate a connection to the past. Remember to avoid redundancy and prioritize clarity in your writing. Ludwig's examples show a balanced distribution across source types, indicating its versatility and broad applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extending back

Focuses on the act of reaching or stretching into the past, emphasizing the duration or reach.

dating back

Highlights the origin or starting point in the past, pinpointing a specific time.

reaching into the past

Emphasizes the action of accessing or connecting with a time long ago.

originating from

Stresses the point of commencement or creation in previous times.

having roots in

Indicates a foundation or beginning in a former period or era.

going back to

Suggests a return to or connection with a previous event or period.

tracing back to

Implies a process of discovering or following a path to a past point or event.

historically linked to

Highlights a connection with historical events or contexts.

with a history in

Emphasizes the presence of a past within a particular context.

stemming from

Suggests that something originated or developed from something else in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "spanning back" in a sentence?

You can use "spanning back" to describe the extent or duration of something into the past. For example: "The company's history "spans back" several decades".

What are some alternatives to "spanning back"?

Alternatives include "dating back", "extending back", or "originating from". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "spanning back since"?

While "spanning back" implies a duration into the past, adding "since" can be redundant if the starting point is already clear. Consider rewording for clarity, such as "dating back since", is acceptable, but it can be improved. Prefer "dating back to".

What's the difference between "spanning back" and "dating back"?

"Spanning back" emphasizes the period of time something covers, while "dating back" focuses on the origin or starting point. "The tradition "spans back" centuries" highlights the duration; "The tradition "dates back to" the 18th century" highlights the origin.