approximately since

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approximately since" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used when trying to indicate an approximate starting point in time, but it is better to use clearer alternatives. Example: "The project has been ongoing approximately since 2015, but the exact start date is unclear."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

It's been on my shelf, approximately, since 1998, when Saramago won the Nobel Prize.

The New Yorker

The lines for the BP match this approximately, since there is no need for communication there.

Advanced Structural and Chemical Imaging

CMC is used as a model fluid to describe the behaviour of bitumen at 1000 mPa s approximately since it is a shear-thinning fluid similar to heavy oil (Muller 1994).

Petroleum Science

The back cover of the book alludes to her personal struggle: "Refusing a career as a professional feminist," it read, "Shulamith Firestone found herself in an 'airless space' — approximately since the publication of her first book 'The Dialectic of Sex.'".

Los Angeles Times

Therefore, Z i j   = (x i j   − x ¯ j ) / s j ∼ N (0, 1 ), approximately, since x ¯ j ≈ μ x j and s j 2 ≈ σ 2 ∀   j because m is very large.

BioData Mining

Children responded to a list of 17 "things I have seen and heard," indicating whether the event had been experienced 1 time, more than 1 time, or not at all; at follow-up assessments the child also indicated if he or she had experienced the event in the past year (i.e., approximately since the last trauma assessment), prior to the past year, or both.

Global health, science and practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Unconventional Gas: For decades the United States was dependent on imports of natural gas, historically in gaseous form and more recently, approximately since 1985, also in form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Applied Petrochemical Research

With technology and telecommunications back in the index, it is up approximately 40percentt since then.

The New York Times

Wholesale electricity prices have jumped approximately 10percentt since the eight nuclear plants were shut.

MIT Technology Review

Taking into account transfer, construction and other real-estate-related taxes, that added space has produced a revenue harvest of approximately $3 billion since the program's inception.

The New York Times

"The rate of self-inflicted deaths has fallen by approximately 40% since 2004, but we are committed to further reducing the numbers of deaths in custody".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "approximately since" when the exact starting point is unknown or unimportant to the context.

Common error

Avoid using "approximately since" excessively in formal writing, as it can weaken the impact of your statements. Use precise language when possible.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approximately since" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating an estimated starting point in time. It modifies a verb or noun, specifying when something began, with an element of imprecision. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase can be used to give an approximate starting point in time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "approximately since" serves to indicate an estimated starting time and its usage is acceptable but not ideal. Ludwig AI highlights that this phrasing isn't a standard expression. While sources like The Guardian and Forbes utilize it, clarity often benefits from using alternatives such as "around since" or "about since". The phrase appears more frequently in scientific and news contexts and less so in formal business or academic writing. When precision is key, providing exact dates or ranges is advisable, as overuse can weaken the impact of your statements. Thus, while grammatically sound, consider context and clarity when employing "approximately since".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

around since

Emphasizes a general timeframe rather than a precise estimate.

about since

Indicates an approximate point in time, similar to "around since".

roughly since

Suggests an imprecise estimation of the starting time.

nearly since

Indicates that the time is close to a particular point.

in the neighborhood of since

More informal way of indicating an approximation.

in the vicinity of since

A formal way of indicating an approximation of time.

in the ballpark of since

An informal expression to convey the idea of an approximate time.

in the region of since

Suggests an approximate range of time.

give or take since

Highlights that the time given is not exact.

estimated from

Shifts focus to the estimation process rather than the time itself.

FAQs

How can I use "approximately since" in a sentence?

You can use "approximately since" to indicate an estimated starting point in time. For example, "The project has been ongoing approximately since 2015, but the exact start date is unclear."

What are some alternatives to "approximately since"?

You can use alternatives like "around since", "about since", or "roughly since" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "approximately since" or "about since"?

"Approximately since" is slightly more formal than "about since", but both are generally acceptable in most contexts.

When should I avoid using "approximately since"?

Avoid using "approximately since" in situations where precise dates are required or when the approximation might lead to confusion. In such cases, provide a specific date or range.