duration
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for duration, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The length of time something lasts.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use duration
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French duracion, ultimately from Latin durare, "to last."
Full origin of duration →Frequently asked questions
What does “duration” mean?
The word “duration” means the length of time something lasts. In plain terms, how long something takes or lasts, from start to finish.
How do you pronounce “duration”?
“Duration” is pronounced juu-RAY-shuhn (/dəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “duration” in a sentence?
Here is “duration” used in a sentence: “The flight has a duration of about nine hours.”
What part of speech is “duration”?
“Duration” is a noun.
Where does the word “duration” come from?
The word “duration” comes from Latin. From Old French duracion, ultimately from Latin durare, "to last.".
Is “duration” a common word?
“Duration” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
What is the difference between duration and length?
Both can describe how much of something there is, but duration refers specifically to how long an event or state lasts in time, as in 'the duration of the flight.' Length can mean the same thing but also refers to physical distance or size, which duration never does.
When should you use duration instead of period?
Use duration to stress the total amount of time something continues, and period when you mean a defined stretch with a clear start and end. 'For the duration of the meeting' means throughout the whole time it lasts, however long that turns out to be.
What prepositions and words commonly go with duration?
The most common collocation is 'for the duration of,' as in 'for the duration of the war.' Duration also pairs naturally with adjectives like short, long, average, and entire, and takes 'of' to name what is being timed.
Is duration a formal word?
Duration is a neutral-to-formal word common in technical, legal, and scientific contexts, such as the duration of a treatment or a contract. In everyday speech people often prefer the plainer phrase 'how long.'