spanning over decades

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spanning over decades" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a phrase that is used to refer to something that exists, or has been active, for a long period of time. For example, you could say: "Her career in the film industry has been spanning over decades."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Because choices about land development tend to have long-lasting impacts that span over decades, understanding the magnitude of this influence is critical to the design of policies to reduce emissions and other negative externalities associated with car use.

Journal of Transport Geography

We should all be so lucky to find a love that spans over decades.

Huffington Post

Why you should listen: New Yorkers Louie Vega and Diego Gonzalez put together a collection of 40 original tracks and remixes, spanning over two decades of their time spent redefining east coast house music.

The Guardian - Music

"In addition, this council, in further acknowledgment of the serious predatory sexual allegations spanning over six decades, agrees that if the council had been aware of such revelations at the time of Sir Jimmy Savile's nomination for honorary freeman of the borough of Scarborough, the council would have refused it.

Independent

The origin of energetic particles is a long-standing problem in space physics spanning over several decades.

Earth, Planets and Space

The present article aims at bringing together literature spanning over three decades that addresses technical aspects of biomass stoves, i.e., their design, analysis and testing.

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

Protein design has an eventful history spanning over three decades, with handful of success stories reported, and numerous failures not reported.

Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology

Striker Fletcher, 39, has played 712 times for the Cherries and next season will be his 18th for the club in a career spanning over two decades.

BBC

The precipitation datasets include observations spanning over six decades from 1950 to 2012, and thus more than enough to meet the 30 year minimum of continuous observations required for a valid climate statistical analysis (World Meteorological Organization 2009).

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Missy Godfrey is a senior operating executive and general manager with a distinguished track record spanning over two decades in multiple diverse sectors, including traditional and digital media, luxury goods, advertising, private equity investing, and wealth management.

TechCrunch

His professional approach to his fitness and a disciplined lifestyle contributed to extending a career spanning over two decades.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "spanning over decades", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being measured or considered over that time frame. For example, "the research project spanning over decades" is clearer than simply "spanning over decades".

Common error

Avoid using "spanning over decades of time" as it is unnecessarily repetitive. Simply use "spanning over decades" or "spanning decades" to convey the same meaning more concisely.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spanning over decades" functions as a modifier, typically describing a noun or concept that exists or develops across a long duration. It clarifies the temporal scope of the subject being discussed. Ludwig confirms this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

11%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "spanning over decades" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that serves to emphasize the longevity or duration of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct phrase, though not exceptionally common. It finds use across various contexts, including news, science, and formal business communications. Alternative phrasing might include "lasting many decades" or "covering decades". When employing this phrase, ensure that the context clearly defines what is being measured or considered across the specified time period.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lasting many decades

Replaces "spanning" with "lasting" and emphasizes the duration using "many".

covering decades

Uses "covering" as a synonym for "spanning", highlighting the range of time involved.

across several decades

Replaces "over" with "across" and specifies "several" to indicate multiple decades.

for decades

Simplifies the phrase to emphasize the duration, omitting "spanning" and "over".

throughout the decades

Emphasizes a continuous presence or activity during the specified time period.

decades-long

Uses a hyphenated adjective to describe something that has persisted for many decades.

extending through decades

Replaces "spanning" with "extending" and focuses on the progression through time.

over a period of decades

Adds a more formal tone by specifying "a period of" to describe the duration.

existing for decades

Focuses on the state of existence over a long period, using "existing" as the primary verb.

developed over decades

Highlights a process that unfolded gradually across the described duration.

FAQs

How can I use "spanning over decades" in a sentence?

You can use "spanning over decades" to describe something that has existed or been active for a long period. For example, "The study examined trends "spanning over decades" to identify long-term patterns."

What are some alternatives to "spanning over decades"?

Alternatives include "lasting many decades", "covering decades", or "across several decades" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "spanning decades" or "spanning over decades"?

"Spanning decades" and "spanning over decades" are both grammatically correct and have similar meanings. The choice often depends on stylistic preference, although "spanning decades" is slightly more concise.

What is the difference between "spanning over decades" and "developed over decades"?

"Spanning over decades" refers to the entire period something covers. "Developed over decades" highlights a process of gradual change or evolution across the described period.