almost completely dark

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost completely dark" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there is very little light, but not total darkness. Example: "As the sun set, the room became almost completely dark, making it difficult to see anything."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

"The north is almost completely dark".

The New York Times

After a few hundred feet, it was almost completely dark.

The New Yorker

The campsite was cold and almost completely dark, and a bomb or a rifle shot would have left everyone helpless.

The New Yorker

From space, the nighttime map of North Korea has a curious distinction: it is almost completely dark.

The New Yorker

The billboards themselves stand above traffic-snarled streets that go almost completely dark at night because of electricity shortages.

The New York Times

One of them was Brother's Candy & Grocery, on Fourteenth Street and Avenue B, which was filled with people despite being almost completely dark inside.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

The amount of dark pigment on the belly varies from virtually nothing to almost completely black.

Wikipedia

They were almost completely black.

The Guardian - Books

She and Charlotte Gibbons wielded their own lights, using their bodies as shields so that the stage was often almost or completely dark.

The New York Times - Arts

The forced lighting looks a bit artificial, but it's still uncanny that I could capture a shot in what is almost a completely dark room.

Forbes

Three albatross species, the black-footed albatross and the two sooty albatrosses, vary completely from the usual patterns and are almost entirely dark brown (or dark grey in places in the case of the light-mantled albatross).

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a scene, use "almost completely dark" to create a sense of suspense or mystery, implying a setting where visibility is severely limited but not entirely absent. For example: "The forest path was almost completely dark, and every rustle of leaves sounded like a predator."

Common error

Avoid redundancy by pairing "almost" with synonyms like "totally" or "fully". Instead of saying "almost totally dark", which can sound awkward, use a stronger adjective or adverb or one of the semantically related alternatives such as "virtually completely dark" to convey a higher degree of darkness without being repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost completely dark" functions as an adverbial modifier describing the extent of darkness. It modifies a noun or noun phrase, providing detail about the lighting conditions. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost completely dark" effectively conveys a state of near-total darkness, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's grammatically sound and frequently used across various contexts, especially in news, media, and descriptive writing. While similar to phrases like "nearly completely dark" or "virtually no light", it specifically denotes a setting where a minimal amount of light remains. Be mindful of avoiding redundant intensifiers and choose semantically related alternatives for precision and impact when describing scenes or environments with limited visibility. As Ludwig AI confirms, "almost completely dark" is useful and conveys the message successfully.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly completely dark

Replaces "almost" with "nearly", a synonym, maintaining the same degree of darkness.

virtually completely dark

Substitutes "almost" with "virtually", implying a state very close to complete darkness.

practically completely dark

Uses "practically" instead of "almost", conveying a similar sense of near-total darkness.

almost entirely dark

Replaces "completely" with "entirely", a synonym that doesn't significantly alter the meaning.

almost pitch black

Replaces "completely dark" with "pitch black", a more figurative expression for total darkness, while retaining "almost".

nearly pitch black

Combines "nearly" with "pitch black" to describe a state very close to total darkness.

virtually no light

Focuses on the absence of light rather than the presence of darkness, using "virtually" to indicate minimal light.

dimly lit

Describes a state of low lighting, differing from near-total darkness but implying a significant lack of light.

poorly illuminated

Indicates inadequate lighting, suggesting a less extreme darkness than the original phrase.

scarcely lit

Implies a minimal amount of lighting, indicating that the space is just barely illuminated.

FAQs

How can I use "almost completely dark" in a sentence?

You can use "almost completely dark" to describe a setting with minimal light. For example, "The room was almost completely dark, making it difficult to navigate."

What can I say instead of "almost completely dark"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly completely dark", "virtually no light", or "almost pitch black" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "almost totally dark"?

While understandable, "almost totally dark" can be considered redundant. "Almost" and "totally" are both intensifiers, so using them together may sound awkward. Consider using "virtually completely dark" or "nearly pitch black" instead.

What's the difference between "almost completely dark" and "completely dark"?

"Almost completely dark" implies a very low level of light, but not absolute darkness. "Completely dark", on the other hand, means there is no light at all.