Is It Correct to Say “Within the Week”?

Is “within the week” correct? Are you making a mistake every time you say it? No one wants to look silly, so this is a valid concern if you are unsure of yourself.

In this post, we will answer whether or not it is correct to say “within the week”, as well as other ways to say it.

Is It Correct to Say “Within the Week”?

“Within the week” is a correct phrase. It means “taking place in the span of time that is this week”. For instance, if you told someone that you would do something for them “within the week”, that means you will do it before midnight on Sunday.

“Within the week” is both grammatically correct and correct English. It’s just a way to tell somebody when something will be accomplished. “Within the week” refers to the week you are currently in.

Assume it is Tuesday. Your friend says he will visit you within the week.

This means he will visit you sometime before Sunday at midnight. That’s because a new week starts after midnight on Sunday. As soon as it is officially “Monday”, it is no longer the previous week, but a new week. So “within the week” refers to the week you are in currently.

The phrase can be used at any time during the week. If you say “within the week” on Friday, that still refers to all of the time between Friday and midnight on Sunday.

However, most people don’t say “within the week” when the current week is already close to ending.

There is a big difference between “within the week” and “within a week”, however. “Within the week” implies that something will happen before the current week is over. “Within a week” implies that something will be done in the span of a week, meaning seven days from when the statement is made.

So, “within the week” is correct to say. But if you are not comfortable with this phrase, we have compiled a list of what to say instead of “within the week” down below.

Other Ways to Say “Within the Week”

Other ways to say “within the week” are “before this week ends, sometime this week”, and “by this week”. All of these options imply that something will happen before the current week ends. The other synonyms that will be mentioned below instead refer to a period of seven days.

Context is important. There is a difference between “this week” and “a week”. One refers to a specific week while the other only provides a generic length of time. We will discuss all of this in detail below.

1. Before This Week Ends

“Before this week ends” specifies that something will be done within the current week. This is an exact synonym for “within the week”. In fact, it is a more specific way to say it, since “before the week ends” specifies an exact time limit with a hard cutoff.

If being specific is your ultimate goal, “before this week ends” is a good choice, because it leaves no room for confusion. Everyone will know the timeframe that you have established.

• The job will be done before this week ends.
• We need to talk again before this week ends.

2. Sometime This Week

“Sometime this week” is a perfect synonym for “within this week”. It offers the same timeframe, letting someone know that something will be accomplished sometime during the current week. It does not offer a specific time in the week, just a deadline.

This phrase is also clearer, since it specifies “this” week. That lets the other person know that you are specifically referring to the current week.

• Sometime this week, we need to mow the lawn.
• I will visit Grandma sometime this week.

3. By This Week

“By this week” is a little vague, but it still states that the timeframe in question is the current week. Anything that will be done “by this week” will be done before midnight on Sunday. The wording is not as clear as some of the other options, but most people know what it means.

Like the aforementioned synonyms, “by this week” does not provide a specific time within a week, only that something needs to happen within the timeframe of the current week.

• The home renovation should be complete by this week.
• I need all of this yardwork finished by this week.

4. In One Week

“In one week” is a little different from “within the week”, because it does not refer to the current week specifically. It instead refers to a week that starts from the moment this statement is made. For example, consider the following sentences:

• I will deliver the package in one week.
• In one week, it will be Wednesday.

These sentences do not state that something must happen within the current week, only that something will happen with the span of a week, which is seven days. For example, in the second sentence, it says that it will be Wednesday in one week.

That implies that it is Wednesday at the time of speaking. The timeframe starts in one week and ends in another week. So it is a little different from “within the week”. The main difference is describing the current calendar week, or just the overall length of time that a week is.

5. In About a Week

“In about a week” is acceptable if you want to set a timeframe of roughly seven days. Unlike “within the week”, this phrase does not specifically mean “before the end of this week”. It only means “in about seven days from now”.

So it’s not a perfect synonym, but it is a close one that serves a slightly different purpose.

• In about a week, we will go on vacation.
• School will start again in about a week.

6. In Roughly Seven Days

“In roughly seven days” is another way to set up a timeframe that is a week in length. After all, a week is seven days. This phrase lets someone know that whatever you are referring to will be complete or occur within a week’s span of time.

This is not quite the same as “within the week”, because that phrase refers to the current week specifically, and not just the general concept of a week.

• I will finish my summer homework in roughly seven days.
• You should receive your payment in roughly seven days.