Meaning & use
day for day
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
For each day that passes, one day is counted, especially as a replacement or equivalent.
Grammar: Used as an adverb; it often follows verbs like 'count', 'give', or 'pay back'.
Patterns
- count something day for day
- pay someone back day for day
- give someone day for day
The company promised to pay him back day for day for the time he had worked without pay.
If you miss a day of school, you must make it up day for day before the end of the term.
The prisoner's sentence was reduced day for day for good behavior.
phrasefixed phrase
In exactly equal amounts of days, one day matching another.
Grammar: Often used after 'be' or 'seem' to show a one-to-one match.
Patterns
- be day for day
- match something day for day
The two projects were day for day in length, so we finished them at the same time.
Her vacation days were day for day with her sister's, so they could travel together.
Common combinations
- count day for day
- The teacher counted the days of absence day for day.
- pay back day for day
- He had to pay back the loan day for day, with no extra interest.
- day for day basis
- The leave was calculated on a day for day basis.
- day for day with
- The schedule was day for day with the original plan.
Synonyms and how they differ
- day by day
- This means 'gradually, as each day passes', not 'one day for each day'; use 'day for day' when you mean an exact one-to-one match.
- one for one
- This is used for things in general, not just days, and means an exact exchange or match.
Commonly confused: day for day or day by day?
day for day vs day by day
This means 'gradually' or 'as time goes on', while 'day for day' means 'one day for each day'.
Practice
The workers were paid back _______ for the overtime they had done.
Choose one answer.
'Day for day' means an exact one-to-one replacement, which fits paying back overtime. 'Day by day' means gradually, 'day after day' means repeatedly, and 'day to day' means on a daily basis without a long-term plan.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “day for day”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.