tens of seconds

USAGE SUMMARY

"tens of seconds" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a brief amount of time, usually less than a minute. For example, "I heard the sound of the bomb exploding after only tens of seconds."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"You've got literally tens of seconds," says Walters.

The Guardian

Within tens of seconds, LIGO's search algorithms automatically analyzed the signal, comparing it to waveforms characteristic of gravitational waves.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Removal of extracellular Ca(2+) causes the monovalent current to decline over tens of seconds, a process termed depotentiation.

Stanford University

The paper electrode stores charge while recharging in tens of seconds because ions flow through the thin electrode quickly.

MIT Technology Review

This absorption continued for several tens of seconds without showing any change in the band shape (Fig. 2d).

Nature

More likely, warning will give people seconds to tens of seconds to duck and cover or allow doctors to pause surgery.

University of California, Berkeley

I will discuss the collapsar model for the explosion of massive rotating stars which form black holes at their centers and subsequently accrete rapidly for tens of seconds.

Columbia University

In tens of seconds on a commodity GPU, it renders high-quality supersampled images that take path tracing tens of minutes on a compute cluster.

Cornell University

As a result, Garcetti said he expects to begin trimming tens of seconds off response times in the coming year.

Los Angeles Times

This can cause pauses of many tens of seconds.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Different transport mechanisms, spanning from pure Brownian diffusion to (sub- ballistic sub- ballistic, are revealed by temporal and superdiffusionl imare corevealedn spectroscopy on the tens-of-seconds timescale.

Biophysical Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tens of seconds" to convey a short but noticeable duration, typically longer than a few seconds but less than a minute. Be mindful of the context; ensure this timeframe aligns with the action or event you are describing.

Common error

Avoid using "tens of seconds" when describing events requiring instantaneous action. If an action must occur in less than ten seconds, consider using "seconds" or "mere seconds" to better convey the urgency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tens of seconds" typically functions as an adverbial modifier indicating duration. It specifies how long something takes or lasts. As Ludwig AI explains, it is correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

22%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "tens of seconds" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote a short time duration, roughly between 20 and 90 seconds. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It finds frequent application in scientific, news, and academic contexts, providing a timeframe that's brief yet measurable. When using "tens of seconds", ensure it accurately reflects the actual duration you intend to convey, and consider alternatives like "a few seconds" or "a matter of seconds" if a less precise duration is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few seconds

Indicates a short, indefinite period, but potentially shorter than "tens of seconds".

a matter of seconds

Emphasizes the brevity and quickness of the time period.

within seconds

Highlights the immediacy or promptness of an action or event.

fraction of a minute

Highlights that the period is a small part of a minute.

seconds-long

Functions as an adjective to describe something lasting for a few seconds.

short interval

Refers to a small space of time, which might not always be "tens of seconds".

brief period of time

A more general term referring to a very limited duration, less precise.

split seconds

Focuses on the very rapid nature of the timeframe.

a short span

Denotes a brief duration, broader in application than timing specific events.

a fleeting moment

Emphasizes the transience and swiftness of the duration.

FAQs

How can I use "tens of seconds" in a sentence?

You can use "tens of seconds" to describe a process, event, or duration that lasts for roughly 20 to 90 seconds. For example, "The reaction took "tens of seconds" to complete".

What's a good substitute for the phrase "tens of seconds"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "a matter of seconds", "a few seconds", or "a short time".

Is it correct to say "ten of seconds" instead of "tens of seconds"?

No, "ten of seconds" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is ""tens of seconds"", which implies a duration in the range of twenty to ninety seconds.

What is the difference between "tens of seconds" and "dozens of seconds"?

"Tens of seconds" refers to a period lasting roughly between 20 and 90 seconds, while "dozens of seconds" is less precise, but would generally refer to at least 24 seconds (two dozens) or more.