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:
His role in the side tends to involve 10-minute bursts, rather than playing for the duration of matches.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
A duration of 6 indicates that if interest rates rise by 1%, the bond portfolio’s market value will decline by about 6%, and vice versa.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
These findings are one reason sleep researchers are paying less attention to sleep duration alone.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Students surrender their phones at the start of the semester, where they remain in phone jail for the duration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Some find a particular tent so fascinating that they are unable to exit it, opting instead to stay there the duration of their visit.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
For Professor Andy Jones, an expert in endurance performance at the University of Exeter, there are three potential physiological explanations why women could perform better over longer distances or durations.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
More detailed research is needed to separate the effects of different drugs, doses, treatment durations, underlying health conditions, and preexisting valve abnormalities.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 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
Demand is also resulting in longer contract durations, increasing contract values and more prepayments, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
Rhythm occurs in a melody, in the accompaniment, and uses combinations of short and long durations to create patterns and entire compositions.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
