at a certain degree

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at a certain degree" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a specific level or extent of something, often in a more abstract or qualitative context. Example: "The project was successful at a certain degree, but there were still areas that needed improvement."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

5) reveals a major flaw in the Cambridge mechanical engineer's otherwise brilliant scheme: at a certain degree of evolution, that is currently impossible to predict, the computer will most assuredly develop an awareness of its self-destructive direction and refuse to be shrunk any further, no matter how glorious it might seem to expire in a cosmic blaze of information.

The New York Times - Science

The system possesses overload capacity at a certain degree.

Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics

The fraction of surface intergranular sites corroded and intergranular surface cluster length increased sharply at a certain degree of sensitization.

Electrochimica Acta

It is proved that LBRP has obtained a good performance, but its communication is limited by TCP/IP model at a certain degree.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Hence, at a certain degree of complexity, the performance (i.e. the accurate representation of population dynamics) of the model will decrease again [14].

Environmental Sciences Europe

This illustrates that the Zr content has little effect on the selective dissolution rate of Zr when Zr arrives at a certain degree in Cu Zr alloys.

Electrochimica Acta

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

The novel brought the author fame and, at first, a certain degree of misfortune.

The New York Times - Books

The common characteristic among all the chemical mention types used for the CHEMDNER corpus was that they could be associated to chemical structure information with at least a certain degree of reliability.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Lidove noviny, on the other hand, suggests that taking a tough line with Russia may not achieve much, and advocates an approach more in line with Realpolitik: "If the goal is to... maintain at least a certain degree of communication between East and West, sanctions may do more harm than good".

BBC

The observation that sub-networks where each protein has at least a certain degree in the underlying full web are organized in one connected component validates our assumption that the underlying network indeed features an oligarchy of highly connected proteins (Fig. 1c).

Plosone

Due to their highly similar primary structures, HIPK1 and HIPK2 are assumed to have at least a certain degree of redundant activity [ 16].

Cell Communication and Signaling

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "at a certain degree", ensure the context provides some indication, even if implicit, of what constitutes that degree. Avoid using it in situations where absolute precision is expected.

Common error

Avoid using "at a certain degree" without any contextual clues. If the level or extent is important, provide additional details to clarify the meaning. For example, instead of "The system is reliable at a certain degree", say "The system is reliable at a moderate degree, sufficient for basic operations."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at a certain degree" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or adjectives to indicate a limited or specific level or extent. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is grammatically sound and common in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

24%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at a certain degree" serves as an adverbial phrase to indicate a limited extent or specific level. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and common, particularly in scientific and news-related contexts. When employing this phrase, be sure to supply enough context to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like ""to a certain extent"" or ""to some degree"" offer similar meanings. Overall, "at a certain degree" provides a useful way to express partial validity or limited effectiveness in a variety of writing styles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to a certain extent

Replaces "degree" with "extent", focusing on the scope or range of something.

to a particular degree

Substitutes "certain" with "particular", emphasizing a specific level rather than a vague one.

to some degree

Simple alternative emphasizing the existing of a level or quantity.

within limits

Indicates that something is true or effective only up to a specific boundary or restriction.

somewhat

A simpler term indicating a moderate amount or level.

partially

Highlights that something is only partly true or complete.

up to a point

Suggests that something is valid or effective only until a specific threshold is reached.

in some measure

Expresses that something is true or present to some level or quantity.

relatively

Highlights that something is true only in comparison to something else.

moderately

Similar to "somewhat" but may imply a slightly greater level or intensity.

FAQs

How can I use "at a certain degree" in a sentence?

Use "at a certain degree" to indicate a specific level or extent of something. For instance, "The experiment was successful "at a certain degree", but not completely." This implies partial success.

What phrases are similar to "at a certain degree"?

Similar phrases include "to a certain extent", "to some degree", or "up to a point". These alternatives also convey the idea of a limited or specific level of something.

Is it correct to use "at a certain degree" in formal writing?

Yes, "at a certain degree" is appropriate for formal writing. However, ensure that the level of specificity is adequate for your audience. If more precision is needed, consider using more descriptive alternatives.

What is the difference between "at a certain degree" and "to a certain extent"?

While similar, "at a certain degree" often implies a quantifiable or measurable level, whereas ""to a certain extent"" suggests a broader, less defined limitation. For instance, "The temperature increased at a certain degree" is more specific than "The impact was felt "to a certain extent"".