the previous friday

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the previous Friday" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the Friday that occurred before the current week or the last Friday in a given context. Example: "We had a meeting scheduled for the previous Friday, but it was postponed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

It had happened again the previous Friday, in Business Day.

The New York Times

Florence is a regular at the brasserie; she convened that dinner the previous Friday.

The Guardian

By Friday, the stock was down 38percentt from the previous Friday.

The New York Times

W's brother," Bush complained to party activists in New Hampshire the previous Friday.

The Guardian

Hernandez had just been acquitted of murder the previous Friday, in a separate case.

The New Yorker

And the previous Friday, India announced an unexpected rate increase, its third this year.

The New York Times

They were all over the shop in Bath the previous Friday, their pack shoved backwards almost into the River Avon.

The Guardian - Sport

Max Rovner, 34, a lawyer, said the demonstration the previous Friday was the first political rally he had ever attended.

The New York Times

There had been layoffs in editorial the previous Friday; it was logical, wasn't it, that this would follow?

The New Yorker

The reviewer was Robert J. Ayling, who just the previous Friday had been ousted as chief executive of British Airways for poor management.

The New York Times

The previous Friday, he gave a dinner party, whipping up a five-course tasting menu for Charlie Walk, the president of Epic Records, and Jeffrey Chodorow, the restaurateur.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the previous friday" to clearly specify a Friday in relation to a known event or time frame. This ensures clarity, especially when discussing timelines or sequences of events.

Common error

Avoid using "the previous friday" if the context doesn't clearly establish the reference point. For instance, if you mention multiple Fridays in a discussion, specify which Friday you're referring to, such as "the previous friday before the conference", to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the previous friday" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause by specifying when something happened. Ludwig AI shows this phrase is used to anchor events in time relative to a specific Friday.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the previous friday" is a grammatically sound and frequently used temporal phrase that clearly indicates the Friday immediately before a specified time or event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide applicability. While alternatives like "last Friday" exist, "the previous friday" provides a specific and unambiguous reference point, making it useful in various contexts, particularly in news and media. Pay attention to providing enough context when using this phrase to ensure clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

last Friday

A more concise and common way to refer to the Friday of the week before.

the Friday before

A more general way to specify the Friday preceding a particular event or date.

the Friday in the prior week

Slightly more formal alternative to "last Friday".

the Friday of the prior week

A slightly more formal and explicit way to indicate the Friday of the previous week.

the Friday just past

Emphasizes the recent nature of the Friday being referenced.

the Friday preceding

More formal and can be used in legal or academic writing.

a week ago Friday

Specifies the Friday that occurred exactly one week prior.

the Friday one week before

Similar to "a week ago Friday" but more verbose.

the Friday in the week before last

More descriptive and less common, useful for avoiding ambiguity when multiple weeks are involved.

the Friday that just happened

Informal and emphasizes the recency of the referenced Friday.

FAQs

How can I use "the previous friday" in a sentence?

You can use "the previous friday" to specify a particular Friday in the past, such as, "The project was due the "the previous friday", but we got an extension."

What's a more concise alternative to "the previous friday"?

A shorter alternative to "the previous friday" is "last Friday". For example, "We met last Friday to discuss the proposal."

Is "the previous friday" formal or informal?

"The previous friday" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, providing a clear reference to a specific day. However, in very formal writing, you might consider alternatives like "the Friday of the prior week."

How does "the previous friday" compare to "the Friday before"?

"The previous friday" specifies the Friday immediately preceding a known event or time, whereas "the Friday before" is more general and requires additional context to clarify which Friday is being referenced.