almost as

USAGE SUMMARY

"almost as" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
Example sentence: The first task was complex, but the second one was almost as difficult.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's almost as powerful.

The New York Times - Books

Harvard is almost as generous.

The New York Times

April was almost as bad.

The New York Times

Kuroda was almost as good.

The New York Times - Sports

It disappeared almost as quickly.

The New York Times

Its competitors are doing almost as well.

The Economist

What did happen was almost as unlikely.

The New Yorker

He almost as quickly burned out.

The New York Times - Magazine

But frictions are increasing almost as fast.

The Economist

Then they vanished almost as quickly.

The New York Times

Other approaches are almost as unreliable.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost as" to draw comparisons, ensuring the context clearly defines what is being compared and the basis of the comparison. For example, "This book is almost as interesting as the last one I read." This provides a reference point for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "almost as" without specifying what the subject is being compared to. Saying "It's almost as good" is vague. Instead, clarify: "It's almost as good as the original recipe".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost as" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating a degree of approximation or near equivalence. It modifies an adjective or adverb, suggesting that something is close to, but not entirely, the same as something else. Ludwig AI confirms this with various examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Wiki

7%

Science & Research

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "almost as" is a versatile tool for expressing near equivalence or similarity between two subjects. Grammatically correct and very common, it functions as an adverbial modifier that is appropriate for various registers, but used more frequently in news and media contexts. Ludwig AI, through its analysis, reinforces the phrase's utility and broad applicability, highlighting that while alternatives such as "nearly as", "practically as", and "virtually as" exist, understanding the specific nuances of "almost as" ensures clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly as

Emphasizes the closeness in degree or quality, similar to "almost as".

practically as

Indicates a similarity that is very close to being exact, slightly stronger than "almost as".

virtually as

Suggests that the similarity is so close it's as good as exact, similar to "practically as".

just about as

Highlights that the degree is very near, almost identical.

pretty much as

Conveys a sense of approximation where the differences are negligible.

close to as

Highlights the proximity in terms of degree or quality.

approaching as

Implies that something is moving towards being as similar as something else.

akin to as

Indicates a resemblance or similarity, suggesting a close connection.

comparable to as

Highlights the similarity to such an extent that a comparison is valid.

much the same as

Indicates the similarity is high enough to suggest the same outcome or effect.

FAQs

How can I use "almost as" in a sentence?

Use "almost as" to show that something is similar to something else, but not quite the same. For example, "The sequel was "almost as good" as the original movie".

What can I say instead of "almost as"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly as", "practically as", or "virtually as" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "almost as good as" or "almost so good as"?

"Almost as good as" is the correct and more common phrasing. "Almost so good as" is grammatically awkward and rarely used.

What's the difference between "almost as" and "just as"?

"Just as" implies equality, while "almost as" implies a close similarity but not complete equality. For example, "He is just as tall as his father" means they are the same height, but "He is "almost as tall" as his father" means he is close to his father's height, but not quite.