are virtually equally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are virtually equally" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey that two or more things are almost the same in some aspect, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "The two candidates are virtually equally qualified for the position."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This result appears to stem from the fact that in a population dominated by OA individuals, the disease-resistance genotypes are virtually equally frequent and equally infected; hence there is little selective value in choosing the least infected individuals as mates.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Men and women were virtually equally represented in this group, unlike the original, predominantly female cohort.

Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology

Results in Figures 7 and 12 are virtually identical which suggests that our proposed methods perform equally well on both single and double-stranded DNA.

Plosone

Because business and life are virtually interchangeable in New York, it's also particularly tricky to differentiate business restaurants from other equally terrific places.

Forbes

Examples are virtually limitless.

The New York Times

The wards are virtually empty.

The Economist

The figures are virtually identical.

The New York Times

There are virtually no nonwhites.

The New York Times

Results are virtually unchanged.

SERIEs

Help files are virtually useless.

Forbes

The possibilities are virtually endless!

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for clearer and more common alternatives like "are almost equal" or "are nearly equal" for better readability and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "are virtually equally" as it sounds unnatural. Using this phrase may confuse your readers since the word "equally" already implies a state of being "virtual".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are virtually equally" functions as an adverbial modifier aiming to express near equivalence. However, its usage is awkward and grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI points out that it is not a correct phrase in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "are virtually equally" attempts to convey near equivalence, it's considered grammatically awkward and non-standard. As Ludwig AI suggests, opting for clearer alternatives like ""are almost equal"" or ""are nearly equal"" improves readability and grammatical correctness. Although present in some sources, its infrequent and questionable nature suggests avoiding it in favor of more established expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are almost equal

Replaces "virtually" with "almost" for a more direct expression of near equivalence.

are nearly equal

Uses "nearly" instead of "virtually" for a clearer and more common phrasing.

are practically equal

Substitutes "virtually" with "practically" to convey a sense of equivalence in practice.

are essentially equal

Emphasizes the fundamental equivalence using "essentially".

are roughly equal

Indicates an approximate equivalence using "roughly".

are about equal

Uses "about" to suggest a close but not necessarily exact equivalence.

are virtually the same

Rephrases to focus on sameness rather than equality, using "virtually".

are almost identical

Shifts the focus to identity, using "almost" to indicate near-perfect similarity.

are close to equal

Emphasizes the proximity to equality using "close to".

are on par

Expresses equivalence in terms of being at the same level or standard.

FAQs

What does "are virtually equally" mean?

The phrase "are virtually equally" attempts to convey that two or more things are almost the same or equivalent in some respect. However, it is not a standard or grammatically sound expression.

Is it correct to say "are virtually equally"?

No, the phrase "are virtually equally" is generally considered incorrect due to its awkward construction. It's better to use phrases like "are almost equal" or "are nearly equal".

What are some alternatives to "are virtually equally"?

Alternatives include "are almost equal", "are nearly equal", "are practically equal", or "are essentially equal". The best choice depends on the specific context.

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "are virtually equally" for clarity?

Instead of "The two options are virtually equally attractive", try "The two options "are nearly equal" in attractiveness" or "The two options "are almost identical" in attractiveness" for greater clarity.