unreasonable amount of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unreasonable amount of time" is correct and often used in written English.
It is used to describe a period of time that is considered excessive or not justifiable. Example: The company's customer service department promised to respond to complaints within 24 hours, but some customers have been waiting for an unreasonable amount of time, with no resolution in sight.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

If this would take an unreasonable amount of time then you could consider bankruptcy.

Independent

Is this why I spend such an unreasonable amount of time staring out the window?

The New York Times

That doesn't seem like an unreasonable amount of time to spend on one of the many issues he deals with.

The New York Times

In my charity, where I line-manage staff, I find administering TOIL wastes an unreasonable amount of time for all of us.

The Guardian

Wearing any night cream requires patience —"Eight weeks is not an unreasonable amount of time to expect to see an improvement," Dr. Read said — but women tend to lose interest quickly.

The New York Times

Koenig rabbitholes, back through the Nisha call for the episode's most Serial of Serial parody moments: the team spend, by their own admission, an inordinately unreasonable amount of time tracking down an AT&T customer agreement circa 1999, trying to work out if you could or couldn't be charged on your phone bill for an unanswered pocket dial.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

These coaches are expected to be away from home for unreasonable amounts of time and eventually something has to give.

BBC

Sometimes, companies invest unreasonable amounts of time in using data to drive inconsequential decisions or to study things that cannot be quantified.

TechCrunch

Due to iterating through each voxel of the stack and projecting a cone for that iteration, such an implementation in MATLAB would require unreasonable amounts of execution time.

Biomedical Optics Express

"Without access to the necessary financial support, students are forced to turn to commercial debt, take on unreasonable amounts of part-time work, or even drop out of education altogether.

The Guardian

This presents an unreasonable amount of data for a classifier to operate on in real time.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing deadlines or project timelines, use "unreasonable amount of time" to clearly communicate that the proposed duration is impractical or unachievable.

Common error

While acceptable in most contexts, avoid using "unreasonable amount of time" in very casual conversations. Alternatives like "too long" or "ages" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unreasonable amount of time" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a preposition or verb. It describes a duration considered excessive or unjustifiable, as shown by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unreasonable amount of time" is a common and grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe durations deemed excessive or inappropriate. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media and Scientific domains. While suitable for both formal and neutral registers, it's important to consider alternatives in very informal conversations. To enhance clarity and impact, ensure the context clearly defines what constitutes an unreasonable duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Excessive amount of time

Highlights that the duration goes beyond what is considered normal or acceptable.

Inordinate amount of time

Implies a duration that is unusually or disproportionately large.

Unacceptable amount of time

Focuses on the duration being intolerable or not permissible.

Ridiculous amount of time

Emphasizes the absurdity or foolishness of the duration.

Disproportionate amount of time

Highlights that the time spent is not in balance with what is necessary.

Illogical amount of time

Focuses on the lack of logical justification for the duration.

Exorbitant amount of time

Highlights the extreme and often unreasonable nature of the duration.

Unwarranted amount of time

Suggests that the duration is not justified or deserved.

Arbitrary amount of time

Suggests the duration is based on random choice rather than reason.

Unconscionable amount of time

Highlights that the time taken is shockingly unfair or unjust.

FAQs

How to use "unreasonable amount of time" in a sentence?

You can use "unreasonable amount of time" to describe durations that are excessive or inappropriate. For example, "Waiting for an "unreasonable amount of time" for a response can be frustrating."

What can I say instead of "unreasonable amount of time"?

You can use alternatives like "excessive amount of time", "inordinate amount of time", or simply "too long" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "unreasonable amount of time" or "unreasonable length of time"?

Both "unreasonable amount of time" and "unreasonable length of time" are correct and convey similar meanings. The choice often depends on personal preference or stylistic considerations.

What is the difference between "unreasonable amount of time" and "fair amount of time"?

"Unreasonable amount of time" suggests that the duration is excessive or inappropriate, while "fair amount of time" indicates that the duration is reasonable or adequate. They have opposite meanings.