yearly
B1Neutral to formal. Common in written and spoken language across various contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Happening once a year or relating to a period of one year.
Occurring, produced, or performed every year; calculated over or covering a year; also used as a noun for a publication (like a magazine) issued once a year.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can function as both an adjective ('a yearly meeting') and an adverb ('We meet yearly'). As an adjective, it describes the frequency of an event or something that is valid for a year. As an adverb, it directly modifies a verb.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. 'Annual' is a slightly more formal and frequent synonym in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral in both. In business contexts, 'annual' is often preferred (e.g., annual report).
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English, though both 'yearly' and 'annual' are standard.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[ADJECTIVE] + NOUN (a yearly event)[VERB] + YEARLY [as adverb] (pay yearly)on a + YEARLY + basisVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Yearly cycle (the natural progression of seasons/events)”
- “A yearly ritual”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to financial periods, subscriptions, reports, and performance reviews (e.g., 'The yearly audit is in Q1').
Academic
Describes recurring conferences, publications, or assessments (e.g., 'The journal publishes a yearly index').
Everyday
Common for appointments, holidays, and personal finances (e.g., 'We take a yearly holiday to Cornwall').
Technical
Used in scientific contexts for cycles, data collection, and maintenance schedules (e.g., 'The equipment requires yearly calibration').
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- The magazine is published yearly.
- We travel to Scotland to see family yearly.
American English
- The fee is charged yearly to your credit card.
- The committee meets yearly to set new priorities.
adjective
British English
- The company holds a yearly general meeting for all shareholders.
- Her yearly salary is reviewed every April.
American English
- We get a yearly performance bonus based on company profits.
- It's time for my yearly dental checkup.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My birthday is a yearly event.
- We have a yearly family picnic.
- The car needs a yearly service to stay safe.
- She saves a small amount of money yearly.
- The organisation's yearly budget is approved by the board in December.
- The festival, held yearly since 1995, attracts thousands of visitors.
- The policy is renewed on a yearly basis, subject to a review of terms.
- His yearly taxable income places him in a higher bracket.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Year' + 'ly'. If something happens YEARLY, you add it to your calendar for the whole YEAR, but it's like a friend who visits onLY once.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CYCLE (yearly events are points on a recurring circular path).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with 'годовой' when used adverbially. 'We pay yearly' is 'Мы платим раз в год' (literally 'once in a year'), not 'Мы планим годово'.
- Do not confuse with 'year-round' (круглогодичный). 'Yearly' means once per year, not throughout the year.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'yearly' as a noun (incorrect: 'I read the yearly' -> correct: 'I read the yearly magazine/annual').
- Confusing 'yearly' (frequency) with 'annual' (often implying a more formal, institutional event).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'yearly' used correctly as an adverb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are largely synonymous. 'Annual' is often perceived as slightly more formal and is more common in institutional or business contexts (e.g., annual report, annual general meeting). 'Yearly' is perfectly correct and common in all registers.
Yes, but only informally to refer to a publication issued once a year, such as a magazine, almanac, or report (e.g., 'The school yearly features photos of all the students'). The more common term for this is 'annual'.
It typically appears at the end of a clause (e.g., 'We meet yearly') or directly before a past participle in passive constructions (e.g., 'a yearly published report'). For emphasis, it can begin a sentence: 'Yearly, we reassess our goals.'
Not exactly. 'Two-yearly' is ambiguous and rare. The standard terms are 'biennial' (happening every two years) or 'biannual' (which confusingly can mean both twice a year and every two years, so context is key). For clarity, use 'every two years' or 'once every two years'.
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