characterised roughly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "characterised roughly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when providing a general or approximate description of something without going into precise details. Example: "The region can be characterised roughly by its diverse climate and varied landscapes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Chaos is characterised roughly as extreme sensitivity in the behaviour of a system on its initial conditions, in the sense that the distance between the trajectories arising from different initial conditions increases exponentially in time.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"[It] is not good enough in a case involving a child with severe developmental problems, characterised fairly if somewhat roughly as being born with only half a brain," he said.

The Guardian

All AMD participants had GA, characterised by any sharply delineated roughly round or oval area of hypopigmentation or depigmentation, or apparent absence of the RPE, in which choroidal vessels were more visible than in surrounding areas.

BMC Ophthalmology

I am pessimistic in that regard about countries characterised by deep polarisation and political gridlock.

Huffington Post

During this solar cycle, which began roughly on January 2008 and was characterised by a minimal activity until early 2010, there have been several moderate geomagnetic storms.

Earth, Planets and Space

And now, it seems that another famous coinage by Dr Wheeler that "black holes have no hair"—is also false.What Dr Wheeler meant by the hairlessness of black holes was that they could be characterised by just three numbers: mass, angular momentum (roughly speaking, how fast a hole spins) and electric charge.

The Economist

Roughly speaking, these two sides could be characterised as the "populist wing" and the "establishment wing" of the Democratic party, but even this terminology is a point of controversy between the feuding sides.

The Guardian

Geomorphologically, this region is characterised by an alternating succession of ridges and valleys of roughly north south trend.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

The titration of RNA and protein revealed that the Smad4 expression level in clone 18-2 wapproximatelyely in the physiological range (similar to SW480 derivatives characterised in detail previously [ 14]) and that clones 28-14 and 28-8 exproughlyroughly 20- to 50-fold more Smad4 RNA and protein.

BMC Cancer

The women in our study had a concept of mental health and depressive illness that is characterised by the presence or absence of 'pressure'worriesies' or 'tension', which roughly equates to the Western concept of stress.

BMC Public Health

Another genomic subtype ('simple amplifier') was characterised mainly, but not exclusively, by amplifications on 11q13-14 and 17q11-13 and mapped roughly to the ER+/luminal-A and ER-/HER2+ expression subtypes, respectively.

Breast Cancer Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "characterised roughly" when you want to provide a general understanding without getting bogged down in specifics. This is particularly helpful in introductory paragraphs or overviews.

Common error

Avoid using "characterised roughly" when a precise definition or description is required. Opt for more specific language if accuracy is paramount.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "characterised roughly" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, typically 'is' or 'can be'. It indicates that the description or definition provided is not exact but rather a general approximation. Ludwig shows how this is used to set expectations for the level of detail.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "characterised roughly" is a useful tool for providing approximate descriptions. According to Ludwig, it's considered grammatically correct and is suitable for neutral to formal contexts, particularly in science and news media. While not very common, it serves to set expectations for the level of detail provided. It communicates that the description is a general overview rather than an exact definition. Alternatives like "approximately described" or "generally described" can be used for similar effects. When using the phrase, remember to avoid it when precise definitions are required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately described

Replaces 'characterised' with a synonym and maintains the 'roughly' qualifier, emphasizing approximation.

roughly defined

Replaces 'characterised' with 'defined' but keeps the 'roughly' modifier to indicate imprecision.

generally described

Uses 'generally' instead of 'roughly' to indicate a lack of specific detail.

loosely defined

Substitutes 'roughly' with 'loosely', conveying a similar sense of flexibility and lack of strictness.

broadly outlined

Shifts from 'characterised' to 'outlined', suggesting a sketch or summary rather than a detailed account.

vaguely described

Employs 'vaguely' to highlight the lack of clarity or precision in the description.

estimated description

Indicates the description is based on an estimation.

in general terms

This phrase focuses on the descriptive component of the original, but doesn't mention 'characterised'.

in broad strokes

Uses a metaphor to indicate a simplified or high-level description.

superficially described

Implies a lack of depth or detail in the description.

FAQs

How can I use "characterised roughly" in a sentence?

You can use "characterised roughly" to introduce a general description or definition. For example, "The economy can be characterised roughly by slow growth and rising inflation".

What are some alternatives to "characterised roughly"?

Some alternatives include "approximately described", "generally described", or "broadly outlined". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is "characterised roughly" formal or informal?

"Characterised roughly" is suitable for neutral to formal contexts. It is common in scientific and news media sources.

What's the difference between "characterised roughly" and "precisely defined"?

"Characterised roughly" indicates an approximate or general description, while "precisely defined" suggests a clear and accurate definition. The choice depends on the level of detail and accuracy required.