spare day

USAGE SUMMARY

"spare day" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a day when you don't have to do anything, or when you have some free time. For example: I'm so happy I have a spare day this week - I can finally relax!.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Some had suggested the final should have been scheduled for the day before in any event, with Sunday left as a designated spare day in case of terrible weather, but this is to be wise after the event.

The Guardian - Sport

She plans to spend her time looking for a new apartment, a task better suited for a four-day period than for a weekend and a spare day in the middle of the week.

The New York Times

We liked the neighborhood, it's true, but not enough to spend every spare day of our lives there, and it was already getting tedious.

Huffington Post

If I had a spare day there, I wouldn't go to sleep.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Victory also wrapped up the five-match series for England with a game to spare, Tuesday's day-night encounter at Old Trafford.

BBC

Gray's hero, Simon Hench, is a successful publisher who hopes to spend a spare Saturday alone listening to Parsifal.

The Guardian

Saturday morning bends your ear with talk of places on the coach and a ticket going spare; Saturday afternoon twists your arm with a home victory.

The Guardian - Sport

WASHINGTON -- Congressional leaders and President Obama headed off a shutdown of the government with less than two hours to spare Friday night under a tentative budget deal that would cut $38 billion from federal spending this year.

The New York Times

The lineup includes several of the country's top box-office successes from last year, including Lee Seong-han's old-school action film "Spare" (Sunday and Monday) and the colonial ghost story "Epitaph" (Saturday), directed by Jeong Beom-sik and Jeong Sik.

The New York Times

Gary Sussman, the team's vice president for public relations, said Rogers was as gregarious as they come, not too big-time to play in a spring softball league in Paramus when he had a spare Sunday morning.

The New York Times - Sports

Since we know little of Omidyar's intentions (interview here in the NYT and a story outlining the project), I'll spare Monday Note readers my usual back-of-the-envelope calculations, and I'll stick to a general outline of what a richly funded news ventures could look like.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spare day" when you want to emphasize that a day is free from obligations and can be used for other activities.

Common error

While "spare day" and "free day" are similar, "free day" is more commonly used. Opt for "free day" unless you specifically want to highlight the idea of having something extra available.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spare day" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It denotes a single day that is free from scheduled activities or obligations. Ludwig provides examples illustrating this use.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spare day" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe a day free from obligations. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English, though its frequency is relatively rare compared to alternatives like "free day". Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it serves to highlight the availability of a day for unscheduled activities. Consider using it when you want to emphasize the extra or unexpected nature of the free time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

free day

Replaces "spare" with "free", emphasizing the lack of obligations.

day off

Focuses on the absence of work or regular duties.

available day

Highlights the day's openness for scheduling activities.

unscheduled day

Emphasizes the lack of planned activities.

leisure day

Suggests the day will be spent on enjoyable activities.

day to relax

Explicitly states the intended use of the day.

free time

Shifts the focus from a specific day to a period of free time.

extra day

Highlights the day as being additional or unexpected.

open day

Suggests a day with no prior engagements.

vacant day

Similar to "available day" but with a slightly more formal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "spare day" in a sentence?

You can use "spare day" to describe having a free day when you have no particular plans, such as, "I'm so happy I have a "spare day" this week and can finally relax!"

What is a more common alternative to "spare day"?

A more common alternative to "spare day" is "free day", which is more frequently used to denote a day without obligations.

Is "spare day" formal or informal?

"Spare day" can be used in both formal and informal contexts but might sound slightly less common than alternatives like "day off" in informal conversation.

What's the difference between "spare day" and "day off"?

While both terms imply freedom from obligations, "day off" typically refers to time away from work or school, while "spare day" can simply mean a day without pre-arranged plans, regardless of work or school commitments.