7 Better Ways To Say “At The End Of The Day”

“At the end of the day” is a fairly common phrase in English. However, there are always better ways for us to say it, and it would help for you to know what those alternatives are. This article will explore all the best versions.

What Can I Say Instead Of “At The End Of The Day”?

There are plenty of alternatives we could give you. However, this article will focus on the following:

  • By the end of business
  • At the end of today
  • By the day’s end
  • At some point today
  • By the end of your shift
  • By the end of the day
  • Before we clock off
better ways to say at the end of the day

The preferred version is “by the end of business.” It works well in many formal situations to talk about a deadline that is set at some point before your shift ends. This time can vary for many people, which is why it’s helpful to remain as general as possible.

By The End Of Business

“By the end of business” works well in business contexts. We can use it to refer to the direct end of the working day. This can vary for many people based on the length of their shifts or the time they are set to clock off. Still, it sets a general deadline for everyone.

While two employees might have different ending times, we can use “end of business” to encourage either or both of them to complete a specific task. This will require them to pay close attention to it to make sure they have it done in time.

People don’t usually waste much time before getting on with a task that has to be done “By the end of business.” They understand the urgency behind it, which is why they get to it as soon as possible.

Here’s how it works:

  • By the end of business, I will expect you to have carried out all of these interviews.
  • I want these completed by the end of business today.
  • You should have these done by the end of business, okay?

At The End Of Today

“At the end of today” is a slightly more general phrase we can use. It can work in both business or personal contexts. This time, “today” doesn’t refer to a specific time, and we typically use it in two different ways.

In business contexts, “today” would imply the end of your shift (just like saying “end of business”). However, in personal contexts, “today” could refer to the entire day. It depends entirely on the person that is giving you the task to do.

These examples will show you how it works:

  • At the end of today, I want you to have written that apology note.
  • I think you should talk to them again at the end of today.
  • I would like this on my desk at the end of today.

By The Day’s End

“By the day’s end” is another way to set a deadline specifically. “By” is a preposition we can use to set specific timeframes. “Day’s end” is another way to say “end of today,” which implies that it’s the end of a shift or the end of a full day (depending on context).

This is another versatile choice we can use in both formal and informal situations. It mainly comes down to who you are asking to complete a task for you.

Here are a few examples that show you how it works:

  • I expect all of this to be cleared up by the day’s end.
  • I want you to complete all of these sheets by the day’s end.
  • By the day’s end, all of this auditing work should be completed.

At Some Point Today

“At some point today” is a more general phrase. We use it when we want something to be completed, but there isn’t much time pressure. Typically, it gives people a chance to think about when they want to complete the task rather than rushing it.

This is a useful phrase when you don’t want to put too much pressure on someone. It’s effective to use something like this when you know that someone has other duties or tasks that might require their full attention.

While you’re happy to let them continue working on their other tasks, you still expect them to finish the one you have just set. That’s what this phrase tries to achieve.

These examples will show you how it’s effective:

  • At some point today, I’d like those figures on my desk.
  • At some point today, I think you should clean out that filing cabinet.
  • You should get around to that at some point today.

By The End Of Your Shift

“By the end of your shift” is a specific phrase that works in business settings. This time, we use “your shift” to specify that we mean an exact time. There is no wiggle room with this (unlike some of the others), which helps avoid confusion between either party involved.

When we say “By the end of your shift,” it means we have set a specific deadline to occur before you go home after work. It’s helpful to use this phrase when you know an employee is prone to overlook a deadline or not set enough time aside to do it.

In some crueler cases, a boss may even make their employees stay behind. If they do not finish the assignment on time, they will make them work overtime until it is complete.

Here is how we can use it:

  • I expect you to have sent this across to them by the end of your shift.
  • I want you to complete this task by the end of your shift.
  • I need the full itemized list by the end of your shift.

By The End Of The Day

“By the end of the day” is another prepositional choice we can use. This time “by” sets a specific deadline, and we use it when we want to set that deadline to occur at some point before the day ends.

The “day” could refer to the working day or the full day. It depends on the person who is asking you to complete a task.

For example, if your boss is asking, it usually means the end of the working day. However, if a parent is asking, it’s likely they mean by the end of a calendar day (since you don’t work for your parents).

These examples will help you to see what it means:

  • By the end of the day, I will expect to see you making amends for these issues.
  • You should have your homework completed and handed into me by the end of the day.
  • I want all of your chores done by the end of the day, young man.

Before We Clock Off

“Before we clock off” is a little more informal. We use it when referring to the time when someone signs out from their shift. “Clocking off” is the action we take to close our shift for the day, and someone can set a deadline to occur before this event happens.

It’s a common phrase to use in many business settings. It works because everyone has different times when they clock off.

While you might clock off at five, someone else may clock off at three, and another may clock off at seven. When someone uses this phrase, it would help to know what time they clock off, so you can set your deadline accordingly.

These examples will show you how it works:

  • Before we clock off today, I expect you to have this list compiled.
  • I need this spreadsheet emailed to me before we both clock off.
  • You should have this completed before we clock off, or we’re both in trouble.

What Does “At The End Of The Day” Mean?

The synonyms and alternatives covered above have their own place in our vocabulary now. However, it would also help to quickly go through “at the end of the day” and what it means.

“At the end of the day” means there is a certain time frame when something is expected to happen by. We use it when setting a deadline, and it typically refers to the time of day when a work shift will end (which is usually 5 p.m. in most places).

The time frame doesn’t always have to be specific. Sometimes, it just means that we expect something to be given to us before tomorrow. It can refer to the ending of both the work shift or the actual day, depending on who is saying it.

Is It “At The End Of The Day” Or “In The End Of The Day”?

“At the end of the day” is correct because we use “at” as the general preposition to refer to the point of time. While there isn’t always a specific time period mentioned in this phrase, “at” is still the more general one we should use in any case.

“In the end of the day” is incorrect. You should avoid using this preposition.

You may also like:
“In The Same Day”, “On The Same Day”, or “At The Same Day”?
“By The End Of The Day” or “By The End Of Today”?
“Later In The Day” – Meaning Explained (Helpful Examples)