in the course of

Idioms  

1. Also, during the course of. In the process or progress of, as in the famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence (1776), “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands ...” These phrases have been criticized as needlessly wordy (in or during alone are adequate), but they have an emphatic rhythm that keeps them alive. [Mid-1600s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the course of

All in the course of this 100-minute movie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

They were simply following other orders, though they also employed methods that had been encouraged in the course of their training.

From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026

“You’ll see a lot of different scenarios in the course of your savings. It’s best not to make changes on short-term events,” Shamrell said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Flores’ attorneys have argued that his actions were allowed under the California Invasion of Privacy Act because he was acting in the course of his duties as a police officer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

He said “our zoologist” as if they were normal words to say in the course of everyday conversation, as if most people who reached a certain standing in life acquired a zoologist.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green

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