year-to-year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "year-to-year" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to compare data or changes over different years, often in financial or statistical contexts. Example: "The company's revenue increased year-to-year, showing consistent growth in its market share."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

It's almost a year-to-year contract.

The New York Times

But we can only decide the budget year-to-year".

The New Yorker

"The year-to-year comparisons are completely ridiculous".

The New York Times

"Year-to-year predicting is pretty useless.

Forbes

Year-to-year variation in CAPE is also quite significant.

Earth, Planets and Space

The outcomes were evaluated from year-to-year totals.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The estimates vary from year to year.

The New York Times

They can change year to year.

The New York Times - Sports

Now it feels more year to year.

The Guardian

Now I make five year to year".

The New York Times - Sports

"Year to year is different.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "year-to-year", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being compared. Specify the metrics or data that are being analyzed across different years to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "year-to-year" when referring to trends or changes that occur over longer periods. This phrase is most accurate when comparing two consecutive years, not spanning several years or decades.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "year-to-year" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a comparison or relationship between consecutive years. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's about comparing data across years. Examples in Ludwig demonstrate its use in contexts like "year-to-year contract" or "year-to-year predictions".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

38%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "year-to-year" is an adjective phrase used to describe comparisons between consecutive years. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. The phrase's purpose is to establish a clear temporal relationship, highlighting changes or trends between annual periods. While there are alternative phrases like "annual comparison" and "year-on-year", "year-to-year" offers a direct and widely understood way to convey this specific comparison.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

year-on-year

A direct synonym, primarily used in British English, offering identical meaning and context.

from year to the next

Rephrases the concept using a more verbose structure, emphasizing the sequential nature of the comparison.

annual comparison

Focuses on the act of comparing data on a yearly basis, shifting from the relational aspect.

compared annually

Highlights the act of comparison with a focus on the frequency that happens.

annual basis

Emphasizes the yearly timeframe without explicitly stating the comparison aspect.

each year

Highlights individual years sequentially rather than a comparative relationship between them.

yearly

A shorter adjective indicating something happens every year, but lacking the comparative element.

successive years

Emphasizes the sequence of years but doesn't inherently imply a comparison.

over the years

Indicates a trend or change across multiple years, differing from a specific year-to-year comparison.

period-over-period

A more general term used for comparing data between any two consecutive periods, not limited to years.

FAQs

How do I use "year-to-year" in a sentence?

Use "year-to-year" to describe comparisons between consecutive years, such as "The company's profits increased /s/year-on-year/, demonstrating growth."

What are some alternatives to saying "year-to-year"?

Depending on the context, you could use "annual comparison", "year-on-year" (especially in British English), or "compared annually".

Is it correct to say "year to year" instead of "year-to-year"?

While "year to year" is understandable, "year-to-year" is generally preferred and more grammatically correct as an adjective describing a comparison between years.

What does "year-to-year" variation mean?

"Year-to-year" variation refers to the degree to which something changes from one year to the next. For example, "Precipitation amounts fluctuate widely from year to year."