approximately to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approximately to" is not a correct or usable phrase.
It should be replaced with "approximately" or "close to". Example: The temperature is approximately 30 degrees Celsius.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Anyway, O.K., Sibelius: 1865, approximately, to 1957, approximately".

The New Yorker

The film invents some Upstairs Downstairs drama, but sticks approximately to the facts.

The Guardian - Film

He also desynchronizes the soundtrack, matching interviews and discussions only approximately to the images.

The New Yorker

"We are talking about bringing in 700 craftsmen, approximately, to effect this repair.

The New York Times

Our collective mountaineering level amounts, approximately, to the endurance required to huff and puff up a few munros.

The Guardian - Travel

"Why wait for a man to give her a diamond ring?" This notion may be traced back, approximately, to September.

The New York Times - Magazine

Mr. Wagoner's $14.4 million in compensation in 2007 comes out, approximately, to an hourly wage of $7,000.

The New York Times

If you wanted your portrait painted by Graham Sutherland it would cost you £20,000 - multiply by 10, approximately, to get a sense of today's values.

The Guardian - Arts

This corresponds approximately to a fivefold difference.

AMB Express

For instance, corresponds approximately to for and for.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

At night time, the absorber and channel temperatures drop approximately to the same value.

Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for precision, replace "approximately to" with "approximately", "close to", or "roughly". These alternatives offer grammatical correctness without sacrificing the intended meaning.

Common error

Don't assume that "approximately to" is a valid phrase simply because you've encountered it. Always double-check for grammatical accuracy and opt for established alternatives like "approximately" or "close to".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approximately to" functions as an adverbial modifier attempting to express an estimation or nearness to a specific value. However, according to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is simply the adverb "approximately."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

62%

News & Media

26%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "approximately to" appears in a variety of sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct usage is to simply use the adverb "approximately". This phrase aims to communicate an estimate or approximation, but grammatical precision is crucial. Opt for alternatives such as "approximately", "close to", or "roughly" to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing. These alternatives will help you maintain a professional and credible tone across various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately

Removes the preposition "to" to form a grammatically correct adverb expressing an estimate.

close to

Replaces "approximately" with "close", offering a more colloquial way to express nearness or similarity.

roughly

Uses "roughly" as a single-word adverb to indicate an imprecise or estimated value.

about

Offers a simple and common way to indicate an estimate or approximation.

in the vicinity of

Expresses a range around a particular value, conveying a sense of approximation.

in the neighborhood of

Similar to "in the vicinity of", suggesting a range or general area around a specific value.

more or less

Indicates that something is largely accurate but not entirely precise.

give or take

Implies a small amount of variation around a stated value.

nearly

Indicates that something is close to being the case, but not exactly.

approximating

Uses the gerund form to describe the act of estimating or coming close to a value.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "approximately" in a sentence?

Use "approximately" as an adverb before the value you are estimating. For example: "The cost is approximately $100" or "The event will take approximately two hours".

What can I say instead of "approximately to"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately", "close to", or "roughly" depending on the context.

Why is "approximately to" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "approximately to" is redundant; "approximately" already functions as an adverb indicating estimation, making the preposition "to" unnecessary. It's more precise to simply use "approximately".

Is there a difference in formality between "approximately" and "close to"?

"Approximately" is generally more formal than "close to". Use "approximately" in formal writing or when precision is important, and "close to" in more casual contexts.