about as many

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about as many" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate quantity or number in comparison to another quantity. Example: "There were about as many people at the concert as there were at the last one."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

About as many as are Liberal Democrats.

The Guardian - Opinion

The number killed was about as many as the soldiers".

The New Yorker

About as many said the same thing about race.

The New York Times

That's about as many people who watch The One Show.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The results were about as many analysts expected.

The New York Times

Its iPhone application alone has about as many users as Sirius has subscribers.

The New York Times

There are about as many forms of motorcycle racing as there are of automobile racing.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In fact, it drew about as many viewers as Game 1 of last year's World Series.

The New York Times

("They have about as many bones as a human," Prakash said).

The New Yorker

The company has about as many staff in the Asia-Pacific region as in Europe.

The Economist

Regensburg was our third World Heritage site in about as many days.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "about as many", ensure the comparison is clear and the entities being compared are explicitly stated to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "about as many" when comparing quantities that are significantly different. This phrase implies a close approximation, so ensure the difference is relatively small.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about as many" functions as a comparative quantifier, indicating that two quantities are approximately equal. As shown by Ludwig, it's used to draw comparisons between countable items or entities. The examples provided demonstrate its use in various contexts to suggest a numerical similarity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Academia

15%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about as many" is a versatile phrase used to express that two quantities are approximately equal. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, from news articles to academic papers. When using this phrase, make sure the comparison is clear and the quantities are indeed close to each other. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is best to avoid this phrase when the quantities are significantly different. Common alternatives include "approximately the same number" or "roughly the same amount". Its frequency and presence in authoritative sources highlight its reliability and appropriateness in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately the same number

Replaces "about" with "approximately" and uses "number" instead of "many", emphasizing a numerical comparison.

roughly the same amount

Substitutes "about" with "roughly" and "many" with "amount", suitable for uncountable nouns.

nearly equal in quantity

More formal and emphasizes the near equality in amount.

almost as much

Focuses on the proximity in quantity, slightly less precise.

just about equal

Emphasizes the equality while maintaining a casual tone.

practically identical in number

Highlights the near-perfect match numerically.

virtually the same quantity

Stresses that the quantity is indistinguishable for all practical purposes.

in comparable numbers

Focuses on the comparability of the quantities, rather than their exact equality.

a similar quantity

More general term indicating resemblance but less precise.

close to the same

Informal and indicates approximation rather than precise measure.

FAQs

How can I use "about as many" in a sentence?

Use "about as many" to compare two quantities that are approximately equal. For example, "There were "about as many" students in the library as there were in the cafeteria."

What phrases are similar to "about as many"?

Alternatives include "approximately the same number", "roughly the same amount", or "nearly equal in quantity", depending on the context.

Which is correct: "as many as" or "about as many"?

"As many as" indicates a specific number, while ""about as many"" indicates an approximation. Both are correct, but their usage depends on the level of precision required.

What's the difference between "about as many" and "more than"?

"About as many" suggests near equality, whereas "more than" indicates that one quantity is greater than the other. Use "more than" when one quantity exceeds the other, and ""about as many"" when they are close in value.