accurate enough

USAGE SUMMARY

"accurate enough" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that a particular result or piece of information is close to what you were expecting, but not exact. For example, "This estimate is accurate enough for our purposes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's not accurate enough".

The New York Times - Arts

Is he accurate enough?

The New York Times - Sports

This editorial commentary is accurate enough.

The New York Times

And I think it's accurate enough.

The New Yorker

Except these references are accurate enough.

The New York Times - Arts

Romney's figures are accurate enough, but they badly need parsing.

The New Yorker

Perhaps not, but they were accurate enough to raise some shocked expressions from the crowd.

The Guardian

The "one woman" part is accurate enough, but this is no show.

The New York Times - Arts

The test is not accurate enough, she said, and in many instances not reimbursed by insurers.

The New York Times - Health

Normally, the memory is accurate enough to be reliable, but occasionally it is not.

The Guardian

A chance spurned, but proof birdies are there if the approach play is accurate enough.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "accurate enough", clearly define the context or purpose for which the level of accuracy is sufficient. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the acceptable margin of error.

Common error

Avoid using "accurate enough" when the situation requires a high degree of precision. If exactness is critical, opt for phrases like "highly accurate" or "precise" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "accurate enough" functions as an adjectival modifier describing the degree to which something meets a certain level of correctness or precision. The adverb "enough" modifies the adjective "accurate", indicating sufficiency for a specific purpose. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and broad applicability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "accurate enough" is a frequently used and grammatically correct phrase that indicates a sufficient level of precision for a given purpose. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its broad applicability makes it suitable for various contexts, especially in News & Media and Science domains. While versatile, it's important to remember that its subjectivity necessitates careful consideration of context and purpose. Alternatives like ""sufficiently accurate"" or ""reasonably accurate"" can provide nuanced expressions of precision. Remember to state or define thresholds of when statements containing "accurate enough" are deployed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sufficiently accurate

Focuses on adequacy for a specific purpose, implying a level of accuracy that meets a need.

reasonably accurate

Highlights a moderate level of precision, suggesting some potential for error.

acceptably precise

Indicates that the level of precision is within acceptable limits for a given application.

accurate to a degree

Emphasizes that the accuracy is limited or partial.

mostly correct

Implies a high degree of accuracy while acknowledging some discrepancies or errors may be present.

close enough

An informal way to say something is nearly accurate, suitable when exactness isn't critical.

serviceable accuracy

Highlights that accuracy is sufficient to be useful or functional

good enough approximation

Highlights that the information is not exact but serves its purpose, fitting when estimates are acceptable.

reliable to some extent

Indicates accuracy is likely, but potential for error exists, useful for probabilistic assertions.

within acceptable limits

Highlights adherence to prescribed standards, appropriate when precision is legally or contractually defined.

FAQs

How can I use "accurate enough" in a sentence?

You can use "accurate enough" to describe data, measurements, or information that meets a certain threshold of precision for a specific purpose. For example, "The estimate was "accurate enough" for initial planning purposes."

What are some alternatives to "accurate enough"?

Alternatives to "accurate enough" include "sufficiently accurate", "reasonably accurate", or "close enough", depending on the degree of precision you want to convey.

When is something "accurate enough" versus simply "accurate"?

"Accurate enough" implies that a measurement or piece of information doesn't need to be perfect, but it's still usable for a given goal. Something that is simply "accurate" is presumed to be exact or nearly exact.

Is "accurate enough" a subjective term?

Yes, "accurate enough" is subjective because what constitutes sufficient accuracy depends on the context and the requirements of the task at hand. What's "accurate enough" for a rough estimate may not be for a scientific experiment.