around two dozen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "around two dozen" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when estimating a quantity that is approximately twenty-four items. Example: "The bakery produced around two dozen cookies for the event."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

P1 currently has around two dozen clients, all touring professionals.

The New Yorker

It now has around two dozen rental apartments.

The New York Times

According to society, Jerome lived in around two dozen homes around England.

Independent

Even for around two dozen girls who escaped, there has been little respite.

The Guardian

By the 1980s, the Smithsonian began to offer more varied trips for smaller groups, typically around two dozen people.

The New York Times - Arts

They had around two dozen students, many of whom skied to school in the winter, on barrel-staves.

The New Yorker

Sexual Assault Awareness Week started yesterday in Stata, when around two dozen students gathered to share private stories about sexual violence.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Such medicines, known as antibody-drug conjugates, are a hot area for cancer drug developers, with around two dozen such drugs in clinical trials.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

We have around three dozen projects in that area.

Forbes

Because of the Watkins' diligence, I saw about two dozen pure wolves calmly interact with around eight dozen people.

Vice

These experiments suggested that there were around three dozen classes and therefore to allow for some spurious classes in some runs, 50 classes were used to initialise the eight replications.

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "around two dozen" when an exact number isn't necessary or known, but a general estimate is sufficient. It's suitable for contexts where precision isn't crucial.

Common error

Avoid using "around two dozen" when the exact number is known. In such cases, state the specific number for clarity and accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "around two dozen" functions as a quantifier, specifically indicating an approximate number. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "around two dozen" is a grammatically correct and widely used quantifier, indicating an approximate quantity of twenty-four. Ludwig AI analysis, based on numerous real-world examples from reputable sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, confirms its common usage across news, academic, and scientific contexts. While precise numbers are preferred in formal writing when available, "around two dozen" is suitable when an exact number is unknown or unnecessary. Alternatives such as "approximately two dozen" or "roughly two dozen" can be used depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

about two dozen

More concise and common alternative.

approximately two dozen

Direct synonym with added emphasis on approximation.

roughly two dozen

Similar in meaning, but slightly more informal.

nearly two dozen

Indicates a quantity close to, but not quite, two dozen.

some two dozen

Adds a touch of formality or emphasis.

in the neighborhood of two dozen

More verbose, emphasizing an estimated quantity.

just under two dozen

Specifies that the quantity is slightly less than two dozen.

a couple of dozen

Less precise, implying slightly more or less than two dozen.

twenty-odd

Informal way to indicate a number slightly more than twenty.

a score and a few

More figurative and less precise; score refers to 20 and a few indicates a small amount more.

FAQs

How can I use "around two dozen" in a sentence?

You can use "around two dozen" to indicate an approximate quantity of 24. For example: "The team consisted of "around two dozen" members."

What's the difference between "around two dozen" and "approximately two dozen"?

Both phrases are very similar, but "approximately two dozen" might be perceived as slightly more formal and emphasizing the estimation.

What can I say instead of "around two dozen"?

Alternatives include "roughly two dozen", "about two dozen", or "approximately two dozen depending on the desired level of formality".

Is it appropriate to use "around two dozen" in formal writing?

While acceptable, using a more precise number might be preferable in formal contexts where accuracy is crucial. However, ""around two dozen"" is suitable when an exact number is unknown or unnecessary.