How To Use "Within" in English (2024)

FAQs

How To Use "Within" in English? ›

Most of the time, you can use the two words interchangeably; however, “within” and “in” do have a few subtle differences that make one choice better than another. Use “in” to show something definite, to substitute into and for inclusion. Use “within” for an estimate or to show something inside boundaries.

within preposition (TIME)

The ambulance arrived within 10 minutes. Consume within two days of purchase. He repaid the loan within two years. Failure to pay within 14 days will result in prosecution.

When we want to show that something will/will not happen during a specific period of time, we use 'within' as a preposition. Look at the following examples: I know it's hard for you, but you have to hand in your report within five days. Here, it means that the action must not be done after this time.

“Within” means inside - “Within the house it was warm and smelled of food”, “Stay within the white lines when you drive”. “With” means more like “alongside” or “in the company of”. As in: “He walked with his father and felt very safe”. Or: “I would like cream with my apple pie, please.”

The phrase from within is opposite in meaning to from outside. In other words, it means inside: A column segment is a column of data inside the rowgroup.

inside may be used while describing position/location as opposed to outside. Example: The box is blue colored inside and black outside. Within may be used for time/space. Example: I'll reach there within ten minutes.

As noted in a similar question, 'within' can refer to time before as well. E.g., "do not eat within one hour of taking this medication" means don't eat for an hour before, and don't eat for an hour after.

adverb. in or into the interior or inner part; inside. in or into a house, building, etc.; indoors: The fire was burning on the hearth within. on, or as regards, the inside; internally.

1. : in or into the interior : inside. 2. : in one's inner thought, disposition, or character : inwardly. search within for a creative impulse Kingman Brewster †1988.

idiom. : to spend money only on what one can afford. He began to save money when he finally learned to live within his means.

Does within mean after? ›

Within a particular length of time means before that length of time has passed.

The word “between” means that you're comparing different conditions between groups, while the word “within” means you're comparing different conditions within the same group.

Within and without should not be written with a space between with/in or with/out, according to all major dictionaries. This is a good lesson for us all (myself included) to be sure in the future to remember that these words are always written as one word (i.e. within), not two separate words (with in).

'Within a week' means at any time inside a week. I MIGHT return tomorrow…or in 2, 3…. 6 or even 7 days. Both are correct depending on what you want to say.

Within is regarded as specifying an upper limit: within two days means maybe today, maybe tomorrow, but no later than two days from now. In is sometimes regarded as more precise: in two days could mean two days from now – particularly with a scheduled event, such as a party.

“Within three days” means that something will happen or should happen sometime in the next three days. It could be any length of time from the moment the person uses this phrase up until the moment the three days is up.

Within is also an adverb. The Church of England, with threats of split from within, has still to make up its mind. If you experience a particular feeling, you can say that it is within you. He's coping much better within himself.

Within a particular length of time means before that length of time has passed. About 40% of all students entering as freshmen graduate within 4 years.

Within is a single word. In the sense of your example, it means something like during, or before the end of: do not drink or eat during the hour before or the hour after you take these pills.

The term 'within' is used constantly when speaking of a period between a given date and the deadline for doing something , as in "this law will enter into force within 30 days of its publication in the official gazette" or "the penalty must be paid within 15 days of receipt of the notice".