duration
Americannoun
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durations
plural
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the length of time something continues or exists (often used withthe ).
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continuance in time.
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(in the philosophy of Bergson) a temporal continuum, intuitively known, within which the élan vital operates.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of duration
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin dūrātiōn-, stem of dūrātiō, from Latin dūrāt(us) “lasted” (past participle of dūrāre “to last”; see dure 2) + -iō -ion
Explanation
Duration is how long something lasts, from beginning to end. A duration might be long, such as the duration of a lecture series, or short, as the duration of a party. The noun duration has come to mean the length of time one thing takes to be completed. The duration of something might be known or not — in past times, the unknown length of time the current war would last was called "the duration. "Musical notes, such as whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes, have different set durations, or lengths of time for which they are held. These varying durations, when put together, create the rhythm of the music.
Vocabulary lists containing duration
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Word Generation Weekly - Series 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Michigan primary was a three-way race for most of its duration.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
More research will be needed to determine why the effects are uneven and whether factors such as the duration or pattern of activity influence the outcome.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
Many in Cameroon have criticised the lack of information about his activities and the uncertainty surrounding the duration of his foreign trip.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
One result has been that bond yields are rising across the duration curve.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
The duration of each lesson was measured by the clock, which at last struck twelve.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Pension funds and insurers that need to match the durations of their liabilities with similar assets snap up the longest-dated bonds even when yields are absurdly low.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Block has also tested out different durations of installments to determine what makes the most sense for its customers, Jennings said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
"The first priority would be testing a wider range of frequencies and exposure durations," added Schmaltz.
From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026
Designed to bridge gaps in coverage, the plans are typically offered in durations from one to six or even 12 months.
From Barron's ● Jan. 15, 2026
Over time, she could hold herself in a particular form for slowly increasing durations.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
