weeks flew by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "weeks flew by" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to express the idea that time passed quickly. For example, "The weeks flew by leading up to my vacation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The days became a blur, the weeks flew by and it always seemed to be Christmas.

Huffington Post

As the summer weeks flew by, the yellow butterfly continued to appear.

Huffington Post

And as the weeks flew by, I found myself postponing one flight back to the States, and then another.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But despite Sunil Shanbag's sympathetic direction – I loved the depiction of the cure, weeks flying by in an instant as Gokuldas circles the stage like a lumpen jogger losing the pounds – the sexual politics are too one-sided for the comedy's pathos to sink in.

The Guardian

"It is tough and this is my husband's sixth tour of Afghanistan and it doesn't get any easier and this is just something in the mix that makes the weeks fly by," she said.

BBC

We've also let the weeks fly by since the 2014 governor's race with no substantive public debate of what kind of spending, taxes or tax system we ought to have.

Huffington Post

The week flew by.

The New York Times

That week, Lozada flew by military helicopter to join the rest of the FARC's secretariat, in a walled Catholic center at the foot of the mountains that abut eastern Bogotá.

The New Yorker

A couple of weeks ago, Sarno flew by five-seater plane to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, and from there to Istanbul, where he caught a flight to J.F.K.

The New Yorker

He wrote: "All my strength goes to SamNasri19! Eight weeks will fly by, tho we need you in the team.

Independent

"The eight weeks have flown by and the fellas have really enjoyed playing together and for each other.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "weeks flew by" to effectively communicate the rapid passage of time, especially when describing a busy or eventful period. It adds a touch of vividness compared to simpler alternatives.

Common error

While "weeks flew by" is generally acceptable, it may sound slightly informal in highly formal or academic writing. Consider more neutral alternatives like "the weeks passed quickly" in those settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "weeks flew by" functions as an idiomatic expression, indicating the swift passage of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct. The provided examples from news and media sources illustrate its use in narrative contexts to convey the feeling of time passing quickly.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "weeks flew by" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is used to convey the idea that a period of several weeks passed quickly. Although the phrase is not extremely common, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. While acceptable in general writing, avoid using it in contexts where a more formal register is required. Alternatives include "time elapsed rapidly" or "the weeks passed quickly". Keep in mind that using "weeks flew by" can effectively communicate the rapid passage of time, especially when describing a busy or eventful period.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the weeks passed quickly

A simpler and more direct way to express the same idea.

the weeks sped by

Uses a different verb to convey the speed at which time passed.

the weeks went by in a flash

Uses a more figurative expression to highlight the suddenness of time passing.

those weeks were a blur

Conveys a sense of disorientation and rapid passing of time.

weeks vanished in no time

Highlights the disappearance of time, emphasizing its fleeting nature.

the weeks were over before I knew it

Emphasizes the speaker's lack of awareness of the time passing.

the weeks evaporated

Emphasizes the complete disappearance of the weeks.

time elapsed rapidly

Emphasizes the swift passage of time using more formal vocabulary.

time skipped by during those weeks

Indicates that time passed easily and effortlessly.

the days turned into weeks in the blink of an eye

Expands the timeframe slightly, suggesting a seamless transition from days to weeks.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "weeks flew by"?

It means that a period of several weeks passed very quickly, often because the person was busy, distracted, or enjoying themselves.

What can I say instead of "weeks flew by"?

You can use alternatives like "time elapsed rapidly", "the weeks passed quickly", or "the weeks went by in a flash" depending on the context.

Is "weeks flew by" a grammatically correct phrase?

Yes, it's a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in English to describe the fast passage of time.

How to use "weeks flew by" in a sentence?

You can use it like this: "After starting the new job, the "weeks flew by" as I was constantly busy and learning new things."