approximately better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approximately better" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is typically used incorrectly because "approximately" suggests an estimation, while "better" implies a definitive comparison, which creates a contradiction. Example: "The new model is approximately better than the old one, but the exact improvements are hard to quantify."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The Los Angeles Times wants you to know that LCDs consume 43percentt more electricity than tube TVs; it doesn't mention that LCDs look 9,000 percent (approximately) better in the average living room than big tubes.

TechCrunch

The degrees difference between the starting index angle and the reproduced angle reflected the subject's ability to estimate angular position accurately (lower number - approximately better proprioceptive acuity).

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

We found a docking solution that is consistent with the solution proposed previously, with a normalized cross-correlation coefficient approximately 40% better than the next best solution.

eLife

On average, students in lecture + lab performed approximately 10% better on lower-order cognition items and approximately 7.6% better on higher-order evolution-based integration of concepts and evidence-based reasoning items (Table 5).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

For 250 kbps WSN traces, SRVF has approximately 17% better energy usage than Simple Positive-ACK and 11% better energy usage than PLO.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The moment he made vacuum cleaners approximately 3% better than they previously were.

The Guardian - Film

"Net debt has been reduced by £40m for the year, approximately £15m better than we were anticipating, to £354m.

The Guardian - Business

4c was found to inhibit pig kidney FBPase approximately fivefold better than 1b.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

DFAFC performed approximately 60% better after these anodic micro structure optimizations.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

The people in the latter group performed approximately 40%percentt better the second time they completed the creative object-use task.

Harvard Business Review

"Late Night," which actually began at 12 37 a.m. on Tuesday, appeared to fare approximately 35percentt better than its average for the night this season.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "approximately better", opt for phrases that specify the degree of improvement more clearly, such as "slightly better" or "significantly better", to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Be careful when combining "approximately" with comparative adjectives like "better". "Approximately" suggests an estimation or lack of precision, while "better" implies a definitive comparison. Using them together can create confusion. Try to use "slightly improved" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approximately better" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, attempting to modify the degree to which something is superior. However, as flagged by Ludwig, it's often considered grammatically awkward.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "approximately better" seeks to convey an estimated improvement, but Ludwig flags it as grammatically incorrect and not conveying a clear meaning. While the phrase appears across different categories like science and news & media, its inherent contradiction between approximation and comparison often leads to awkward phrasing. For clearer and more precise communication, consider alternatives like "slightly better" or "somewhat improved". Although it appears in several academic and media sources, recognize that more precise alternatives are available.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat better

Replaces "approximately" with "somewhat", indicating a moderate degree of improvement.

slightly improved

Focuses on the improvement itself being slight rather than quantifying it, making the statement more grammatically sound.

marginally better

Similar to "slightly improved", but emphasizes that the improvement is small or barely noticeable.

roughly superior

Substitutes "better" with "superior" while maintaining the approximate nature of the comparison.

estimated improvement

Shifts the focus to the estimation of the improvement, rather than directly comparing the two.

noticeably better

Highlights that the improvement is easily perceived.

a moderate upgrade

Conveys the idea of an improvement without quantifying it precisely.

improved to a degree

Emphasizes that there is some level of improvement, without specifying the exact amount.

considerably better

Indicates a substantial improvement, implying that it is more than just a slight change.

appreciably improved

Suggests that the improvement is significant enough to be easily recognized.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "approximately better"?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "approximately better" is considered awkward and imprecise. It's "somewhat better" to choose a different phrasing to avoid the contradiction between estimation and comparison.

What are some alternatives to "approximately better"?

You can use alternatives like "slightly better", "marginally better", or "somewhat improved" depending on the context and the degree of improvement you want to convey.

How can I express an estimated improvement without using "approximately better"?

Focus on the estimation itself, using phrases like "estimated improvement" or "roughly superior" to indicate that the improvement is an approximation.

When is it acceptable to use "approximately better"?

Although Ludwig AI flags "approximately better" as not correct and does not convey a clear meaning, it might be acceptable in informal contexts where precision is not crucial. However, for formal writing, it's best to use more precise language.