In the last years vs in recent years

The phrases are both acceptable, but the more commonplace English expression is "in recent years." They both refer to a period of time close to the present, but "in recent years" is more precise and idiomatic.

Explained by Gregg
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 09, 2025 • 6057 views

This phrase is grammatically correct but less commonly used in English.

"In the last years"

This phrase can be used to refer to a period of time close to the present, but it is less common than "in recent years."

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 29, 2024

May 17, 2016 ... ... in the last years of life. The evidence is limited to spending from just one insurance program (e.g., Medicare)(5, 6); or only focuses on ...
Feb 10, 2024 ... Different paintings I did in the last years ... I'm a recreational artist, only painting for me. I get the most satisfaction from the process of ...
Caregiving in the last years of life is associated with increased depression and negative health outcomes for surviving spouses, many of whom are themselves ...
Oct 30, 2021 ... ... (in the last years of his life, he shaved off his mustache). Image. r ...
Jul 16, 2019 ... In the last years of his life, I was fortunate enough to befriend this extraordinary man. He was humble, with a GIANT heart – a legendary ...
In the last years of his life, Karl Marx expanded his research in new directions—studying recent anthropological discoveries, analyzing communal forms of ...
Abstract. To assess black-white differences in disability and morbidity in the last years of life, the authors analyzed data from the National Health Inter.
Jun 3, 2019 ... Caregiving in the last years of life is associated with increased depression and negative health outcomes for surviving spouses, ...
Powering Down Coal: Navigating the economic and financial risks in the last years of coal power. Coal 30 November 2018. Show Key Resources Hide Key ...
HealthCare Costs and Choices in the Last Years of Life. Hospitals and Health Networks, March 2015. Many U.S. patients endure pointless treatments because ...

Alternatives:

in recent years
in the past few years
over the last few years
in recent times
in the recent past

This phrase is commonly used in English to refer to a period of time close to the present.

"in recent years"

This phrase is idiomatic and precise when referring to a period of time close to the present.

Show examples from the web [+]
Last updated: November 29, 2024

Feb 29, 2012 ... Compared with in recent years, Ngrams shows a flat line for its use. The British National Corpus has two records for it, against 2344 for in ...
Drug Safety: Most Drugs Withdrawn in Recent Years Had Greater Health Risks for Women. GAO-01-286R Published: Jan 19, 2001. Publicly Released: Feb 09, 2001.
Apr 8, 2013 ... In this context, answer choice (E) might explain why the crop yields have been lower in recent years, but it provides no explanation as to ...
Nov 18, 2024 ... Suicide rates for young male cancer survivors triple in recent years · Among cancer survivors, male patients ages 15-39 have the highest rate of ...
Automatic Determinations in Recent Years · Automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for OASDI benefits are effective for December of the stated year, first ...
Sep 12, 2024 ... Why does English abbreviate itself so much in recent years? Im a fluent English speaker among other Latin and Germanic based languages and ...
Aug 16, 2020 ... In recent years, students have taken at least one year of Spanish in high school. If you wanted to exclude this year, you could say: Until this ...
Jun 2, 2024 ... am i crazy or has getting EXP gotten easier in recent years?/Was getting EXP harder when the game was newer?
Feb 3, 2020 ... In Recent Years, Most Expiring Land in the Conservation Reserve Program Returned to Crop Production ... The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), ...
Sep 3, 2020 ... The outlook for the Medicare HI trust fund has worsened in recent years due to a combination of factors, including the economic impact of COVID-19 on payroll ...

Alternatives:

in the past few years
over the last few years
in recent times
in the recent past
in the recent years

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

In the last years vs in recent years

"In the last years"

"in recent years"

Related Comparisons

2. Submit Your Text

3. Receive Your Polished Text