approximately always

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approximately always" is not correct and is generally not usable in written English.
The term "approximately" implies a degree of uncertainty or estimation, which contradicts the absolute nature of "always." Example: "The train is approximately always on time" does not convey a clear meaning.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Approximately always more than one material is suitable for an engineering application, and the final selection is a compromise that brings some advantages as well as disadvantages.

Materials & Design

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

After all, the special theory of relativity was explicitly designed to guarantee that the velocity of light in empty space is everywhere and always approximately 186,000 miles (300,000 km) per second.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One set of solar collectors was always approximately pointed directly toward the sun (DTS) for a period around solar noon.

Solar Energy

The TV screen edges are always approximately horizontal and vertical, and the TV screen edge is always one of the two largest rectangles in the captured image.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Results show that (1) the total transmittance is always approximately 80% at a wavelength of 500 nm when the thickness of the ITO films exceeds 70 nm and (2) ITO thin films with electrical resistivity of 6.2×10−3 Ω cm, free carrier mobility of approximately 1.2 cm2 V−1 s−1 and free carrier concentration of approximately 8.6×1020 cm−3 are obtained, for films 100 nm thick.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Through the comparison of on-line pH by an optical biosensor and the off-line pH by a pH meter, the former was always approximately 0.1 unit lower than the latter (Fig. 4b), which could be partly ascribed to the discrepancy between the buffer of normalized pH and real broth.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

This was in agreement with the reported AFM results on few-layer graphene sheets [5, 8, 17], where the single-layer graphene is always approximately 1 nm, probably due to different attraction force between AFM tips and graphene as compared to SiO2 and imperfect interface between graphene and SiO2. Figure 2 Tapping mode AFM image of GO on SiO 2 /Si with step height profile.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The shape of the event horizon of a black hole is always approximately spherical.

Wikipedia

Co-localization of PGN Bio with Nod2 and TLR2 was always approximately 80 90%.

Plosone

As shown by the real-time PCR results in Figure 6, the EGFP+ECFP mRNA level were always approximately 2 folds of tdTomato and ZsYellow1 mRNA level in the eight tissues.

Plosone

For previous ACT adherence assessments, adherence was always approximately 60%.

F1000Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "approximately always" in your writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically accepted alternatives like "almost always", "usually", or "generally" to convey a similar meaning.

Common error

The word "always" implies certainty, while "approximately" implies estimation. Combining them creates a logical contradiction. Ensure your wording reflects the intended level of precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is intended to function as an adverbial modifier, indicating the frequency or consistency of an action or state. However, due to the contradictory nature of combining "approximately" and "always", it fails to perform this function effectively. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

News & Media

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "approximately always" is grammatically questionable and generally not recommended for use. As Ludwig highlights, the combination of "approximately" and "always" creates a contradiction. While the intention might be to express a high degree of consistency with a small margin of error, clearer and more accepted alternatives like "almost always", "usually", or "generally" are more effective. Usage is rare and spans various contexts, but primarily appears in scientific and general reference materials. It's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing and opt for more precise and grammatically sound options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost always

Replaces "approximately" with "almost" for a more standard expression of near-certainty.

usually

Offers a simpler way to indicate that something happens most of the time.

generally

Similar to "usually," but can also imply a wider range of situations.

almost without exception

Emphasizes the rarity of exceptions, making the statement stronger.

more often than not

Suggests a tendency or likelihood, replacing the absolute "always."

in most cases

Focuses on the prevalence of a particular outcome.

typically

Describes what is normal or expected in a given situation.

as a rule

Introduces a general principle or pattern.

for the most part

Indicates that something is true in the majority of instances.

close to always

A less common but grammatically acceptable way to express near-constant occurrence.

FAQs

Why is the phrase "approximately always" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase combines the concept of estimation ("approximately") with the concept of certainty ("always"), creating a contradiction. It's better to use phrases that accurately reflect the degree of certainty you intend to convey.

What are some alternatives to "approximately always"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "almost always", "usually", or "generally".

Is there a situation where "approximately always" would be appropriate?

In very informal contexts or when intentionally creating a humorous or paradoxical effect, you might use "approximately always." However, in most writing, it's best to avoid the phrase.

How can I improve the clarity of my writing when trying to express something that is 'almost' always true?

Be specific about the degree of certainty. Instead of "approximately always", quantify the exceptions. For example, "in 99% of cases" or "almost without exception" offer more precise communication.