duration

duration — noun

1. how long an event, activity, or situation continues from its start to its end

1.nounB1
Definition

how long an event, activity, or situation continues from its start to its end

Example

The duration of the film is just under two hours.

the duration of + noun for a fixed event

Sayaka signed a rental contract with a twelve-month duration.

Common collocations
  • short duration
  • long duration
  • average duration
  • same duration
  • maximum duration
  • total duration
  • duration of [event]
Synonyms
  • length

    more general and informal; can refer to physical size as well as time

  • period

    suggests a named or identifiable block of time with boundaries

  • span

    emphasises the distance between two points; common with 'attention' or 'life'

  • term

    specific to fixed, agreed-upon durations such as contracts or office-holding

Antonyms
  • instant

    an extremely short moment, opposite of a measured period

Grammar Patterns

the duration of [something]

[adjective] duration

[preposition] + duration

Usage Note

Countable when a specific measured length is stated (a duration of six weeks). Uncountable when the length is described generally (work of short duration). Often paired with the preposition 'of' to specify the event being measured.

Common Mistakes

Please tell me the duration time of the meeting.
Please tell me the duration of the meeting.
'duration' already includes the idea of time; adding 'time' is redundant.
The duration between the two cities is 300 kilometres.
The distance between the two cities is 300 kilometres.
'duration' refers to time, not space; use 'distance' for physical length.

2. the complete period from the start until the finishing point of a particular eve

2.nounB2
Definition

the complete period from the start until the finishing point of a particular event, such as a conflict, crisis, or work assignment

Example

Chidi was called to serve in the army for the duration of the war.

phrase: for the duration of [event]

Salma agreed to stay at her parents' house for the duration of the storm.

Common collocations
  • for the duration
  • for the duration of [event]
  • for its full duration
Synonyms
  • whole time

    more informal and conversational, used outside fixed phrases

  • entire period

    slightly more formal, emphasises completeness

Grammar Patterns

for the duration

for the duration of [event]

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'for the duration.' The subject is typically a situation with a defined beginning and end, such as a war, weather event, health crisis, or period of service.

Common Mistakes

I will stay here for the duration time.
I will stay here for the duration.
'duration' already refers to the whole period; adding 'time' is unnecessary.
She worked there the duration.
She worked there for the duration.
The preposition 'for' is required in this phrase.
Idioms

for the duration

idiom

This phrase means for the whole time that something continues, especially a difficult situation.

Maya agreed to stay at the hospital for the duration of her mother's treatment.

The soldiers knew they would be away from home for the duration of the war.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words can describe a block of time, but each has a different emphasis. 'Length' is the most general and works for both time and physical size (the length of the speech, the length of the table). 'Period' suggests a named or recognisable block with clear boundaries, such as the Renaissance period or a trial period. 'Span' highlights the distance between two endpoints and appears most often with attention, life, or memory (attention span, life span). 'Term' is reserved for fixed, agreed-upon blocks in formal settings — contracts, political office, or school semesters (a five-year term, the spring term). 'Duration' stays neutral and factual, simply stating how long something continues. For example, you would say 'the duration of the exam' as a neutral fact, but 'the exam period' implies a scheduled block on the calendar.

lengthperiod ↗span ↗term

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Duration comes from the Latin verb 'durare,' meaning 'to last' or 'to harden.' It entered English through Old French (duree) in the late 1300s with the sense of 'continuance in time.' The related English word 'endure' and the adjective 'durable' share the same Latin root.