be practically unavoidable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be practically unavoidable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or outcome that is very likely to happen and cannot easily be avoided. Example: "In a city with heavy traffic, delays during rush hour can be practically unavoidable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If the parties do not have the framework of an agreement in the coming week, cancellations will be practically unavoidable.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But it is practically unavoidable that as they do so, pollution will increase.

The Economist

SAMPLING the lobster roll at Oyster Club in Mystic is practically unavoidable.

The New York Times

We were practically unavoidable when I travelled into London for work.

The Guardian

Today it is China, where a hard landing is practically unavoidable".

The Guardian - Business

WITH so many fancy candy stores around Connecticut, splurging on sweets for Valentine's Day is practically unavoidable.

The New York Times

Although the UB has a huge economic fallout to the entire mining process, it is practically unavoidable due to the complex causing mechanism.

International Journal of Mining Science and Technology

Intraoperative inaccuracies are practically unavoidable and may give rise to severe postoperative complications, leading to the need for revision surgery already a few years after primary TKA.

Medical Engineering & Physics

Given this, and the fact that the concerts are not supposed to focus on organ alone (there is a separate lunchtime series of free organ recitals), the potpourri of the programs is practically unavoidable.

The New York Times - Arts

The polycrystalline structures for graphene are practically unavoidable by the currently existing growth routes, thus the scattering issue of electrons by grain boundary (GBs) becomes a theoretical and an experimental relevant one.

Carbon

It is practically unavoidable that, because of the limitation of experimental materials or time-related constraint, we often have to keep the number of experiments as small as possible and to consider the effects of many factors and interactions simultaneously so that most of such designs are saturated or nearly saturated.

Computational Statistics & Data Analysis

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be practically unavoidable" when you want to convey that something is very likely to happen despite potential efforts to prevent it. It suggests a high degree of certainty and limited options to avoid the outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "be practically unavoidable" when the event genuinely has a reasonable chance of being prevented. Overstating the inevitability can weaken your argument if the possibility of avoidance exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be practically unavoidable" functions as a modal adjective phrase. It modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating that a certain outcome or situation is highly likely to occur, almost to the point of certainty, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

44%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be practically unavoidable" is a grammatically sound and common expression used to convey a strong likelihood of an event occurring. As confirmed by Ludwig, it functions as a modal adjective phrase that suggests near certainty while acknowledging a slight chance of prevention. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science contexts, it maintains a neutral register suitable for various writing styles. When employing this phrase, ensure the context warrants the implication of near inevitability and avoid overstating the case when genuine possibilities of avoidance exist. Consider alternatives like ""be almost inevitable"" or ""be virtually certain to happen"" to fine-tune the meaning. Remember: while effective, "be practically unavoidable" should be used judiciously to maintain credibility and accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be almost inevitable

Emphasizes the certainty of the event occurring; stronger emphasis on inevitability.

be nearly impossible to avoid

Focuses on the difficulty in preventing the event; highlights the lack of alternatives.

be virtually certain to happen

Highlights the high probability of the event occurring; stresses the likelihood.

be effectively unavoidable

Similar in meaning, but places emphasis on the effect or outcome being unavoidable.

be all but certain

A more concise way of expressing near certainty about an event.

be almost guaranteed

Stresses a very high probability of occurrence, close to a sure thing.

be hard to prevent

Focuses on the difficulty in stopping something from happening, rather than its inevitability.

be difficult to evade

Implies an attempt to escape or avoid something that is challenging.

be substantially inevitable

Emphasizes the considerable degree to which something is destined to occur.

be pretty much a given

Suggests something is already decided or assumed; less formal in tone.

FAQs

How can I use "be practically unavoidable" in a sentence?

You can use "be practically unavoidable" to describe situations where an outcome is almost certain despite efforts to prevent it. For example, "In a city with heavy traffic, delays during rush hour can "be practically unavoidable"".

What are some alternatives to "be practically unavoidable"?

Alternatives include "be almost inevitable", "be nearly impossible to avoid", or "be virtually certain to happen", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "be practically unavoidable" or "be completely unavoidable"?

"Be practically unavoidable" implies a high likelihood but acknowledges a slight possibility of avoidance, whereas "be completely unavoidable" suggests there is absolutely no way to prevent the outcome. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the situation's degree of certainty.

What's the difference between "be practically unavoidable" and "be unavoidable"?

The word "practically" softens "be unavoidable", suggesting something is almost certain but not absolutely guaranteed. Using "practically" can add a more nuanced tone to your writing. In other words 'be unavoidable' is a more emphatic statement.