your precious time

USAGE SUMMARY

"your precious time" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when expressing the value of time or when you want to emphasize how important someone's time is. For example, "I respect your precious time, so I'll keep our conversation as brief as possible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Make the most of your precious time.

Harvard Business Review

Sorry to waste your precious time!

The New Yorker

Why waste the money, the words and your precious time?

The Washington Post

Are you using your precious time to build fuel?

Harvard Business Review

How exactly do you want to spend your precious time on this earth?

The New York Times - Style

"I bored myself with my own question so kindly ignore it and forgive my wasting your precious time with it.

The Guardian - Sport

However, if you replace that one hour of television with a gym, you will not lose your precious time.

Stanford University

I promise I won't waste a moment of your precious time wittering on about ruffles, or parsing the modern rules on how to wear velvet.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It will test your knowledge, your speed, your intelligence and far more importantly, will allow you to waste hours and hours of your precious time.

The Guardian

Meetings gobble up your precious time like no other.

Forbes

This just saved you hours of your precious time.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "your precious time" to convey a sense of urgency or importance, emphasizing the need to make the most of the available time.

Common error

While effective, avoid using "your precious time" too frequently in a single piece of writing, as it can start to sound insincere or repetitive. Vary your language to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "your precious time" functions as a possessive determiner followed by an adjective and a noun. It's used to emphasize the value of someone's time, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Wiki

23%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "your precious time" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that underscores the value of someone's time. As reported by Ludwig, it serves to convey respect, gratitude, or politeness, and is appropriate across various contexts from professional to informal. While common, overuse can diminish its impact, so it's best used thoughtfully. When communicating, this phrase is a powerful way to acknowledge the importance of the time another person dedicates to you or a shared activity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

your valuable time

Replaces "precious" with "valuable", emphasizing the worth of the time.

your limited time

Highlights the finite nature of time, suggesting it should be used wisely.

your time is valuable

Shifts the focus to a direct statement about the value of someone's time.

your time is important

Emphasizes the significance of someone's time.

your allocated time

Suggests a specific amount of time has been set aside and should be respected.

your time on this earth

Broadens the perspective to one's entire lifespan.

the time you have

Focuses on possessing and using time well, rather than its inherent value.

your available time

Highlights that time is free to use as desired.

the time you have available

Combines possession and availability to use the time.

your few remaining hours

Puts a sharper focus on how limited is the time.

FAQs

How can I politely acknowledge someone's busy schedule using "your precious time"?

You can start by saying, "I know you're busy, and I appreciate you taking "your precious time" to meet with me."

What are some alternatives to "your precious time" that convey the same meaning?

Alternatives include "your valuable time", "your limited time", or simply acknowledging that "your time is valuable".

Is it appropriate to use "your precious time" in formal communication?

Yes, "your precious time" is suitable for formal communication, especially when expressing gratitude or respect for someone's attention. It conveys a sense of professionalism and courtesy.

When might it be better to avoid using the phrase "your precious time"?

Avoid using "your precious time" in situations where it could be perceived as sarcastic or insincere. If the context suggests that you don't genuinely value the other person's time, it's better to use a different expression or no expression at all.