are somewhat small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are somewhat small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not large, but the degree of smallness is somewhat subjective or moderate. Example: "The boxes we received are somewhat small, making it difficult to fit all the items inside."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

CONS: The bedrooms are somewhat small.

The New York Times

Rooms are somewhat small and have high-speed Internet access and well-upholstered furniture.

The New York Times - Travel

Additionally, these amplitudes are somewhat small and almost the same despite daily (not hourly) Cunco and SBS16 (not MSB-3) measurements.

Earth, Planets and Space

It is observed that the standard deviations of the MLEs decrease as the sample size increases and the average biases of the MLEs are somewhat small and seem to be reasonable.

Journal of Statistical Distributions and Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Females are somewhat smaller.

The New Yorker

Chicks are brown with white undersides, and juveniles are somewhat smaller than adults, possessing shorter, paler crests and paler chins.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Juveniles are somewhat smaller than adults and possess only a single stripe of yellow feathers above each eye.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The three that are somewhat smaller are topped by crowns decorated with what appear to be rings of beads (as shown above).

The Economist

The zorilles, or African striped polecats (two species of the genus Ictonyx), are somewhat smaller and are often found in agricultural areas.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These values are somewhat smaller than the ones derived from the slope of the Guinier plots.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The effective radii for these profiles, however, are somewhat smaller than the observations.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "are somewhat small", consider the context to ensure the level of formality is appropriate. While grammatically correct, it may sound less precise than alternatives in formal or technical writing.

Common error

Avoid using "are somewhat small" when the items are clearly and significantly small. In such cases, a stronger adjective or quantifier would be more accurate, such as "are quite small" or "are significantly smaller".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are somewhat small" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English and it modifies a noun by indicating its size to be less than average. It provides a degree of qualification by using the adverb "somewhat".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "are somewhat small" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase indicating a moderate degree of smallness. As Ludwig AI highlights, this adjective phrase is used across various domains, including news, science, and encyclopedias. While technically correct, it is essential to consider the context and desired level of formality, as more precise or formal alternatives may be preferable in certain writing scenarios. The phrase can be a helpful way to express that something is less than average without being significantly so.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are a little bit small

Replaces 'somewhat' with 'a little bit', which is slightly more informal.

are a tad small

Uses 'a tad' to replace 'somewhat' for a slightly more colloquial feel.

are marginally small

Replaces 'somewhat' with 'marginally' to indicate that the degree of smallness is slight.

are kind of small

Replaces 'somewhat' with 'kind of' for a more casual expression.

are slightly diminutive

Replaces 'small' with 'diminutive' and 'somewhat' with 'slightly', emphasizing a minor reduction in size.

are reasonably petite

Replaces 'small' with 'petite' suggesting daintiness, and 'somewhat' with 'reasonably', indicating moderation.

are noticeably small

Uses 'noticeably' to indicate that the smallness is apparent.

are rather smallish

Uses the informal term 'smallish' and 'rather' as a qualifier, giving a less formal tone.

are moderately sized

Uses 'moderately sized' to indicate a size that is neither large nor excessively small, replacing the explicit mention of smallness with a balanced perspective.

are fairly compact

Uses 'compact' instead of 'small' implying efficient use of space, and 'fairly' instead of 'somewhat'.

FAQs

What does "are somewhat small" mean?

The phrase "are somewhat small" indicates that something is smaller than average or expected, but not to a significant degree. The use of "somewhat" suggests a moderate level of smallness.

What are some alternatives to "are somewhat small"?

You can use alternatives like "are slightly diminutive", "are a little bit small", or "are fairly compact" to express the same idea.

Is it appropriate to use "are somewhat small" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "are somewhat small" may be perceived as less precise in formal writing. Consider using more specific language or more formal alternatives depending on the context.

How can I use "are somewhat small" in a sentence?

You can use "are somewhat small" to describe physical dimensions, sample sizes, or any quantifiable aspect. For example, "The rooms "are somewhat small", but comfortable".