close to as much

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close to as much" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in informal contexts where someone is trying to express a comparison, but it lacks clarity. Example: "He spent close to as much time studying as he did socializing."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"They're producing very close to as much oil as they can produce".

The New York Times

In winter, when less moisture is available in the atmosphere, it's close to as much as the sky can squeeze out in 24 hours.

The Washington Post

The Eagles have won 11 of 12 games, but do not have close to as much talent as they did the last two years in making the N.F.C. title game.

The New York Times - Sports

The reality is that there is not another media property in the world worth as much as ESPN because no media asset delivering content generates close to as much money.

Forbes

As you can see, not a single country consumes anywhere close to as much gas per person as the U.S. does.

HuffPost

Boyle Heights hasn't seen close to as much gentrification as Silver Lake and Highland Park, or even neighboring Lincoln Heights, with a mostly Mexican American community but more ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity and a bigger stock of wood-framed 19th and early 20th century Victorian and Craftsman homes.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Early this morning, 200 Android developers woke up to one hell of an e-mail: they'd made it into the final round of the second Android Developer Challenge, and were thus one giant step closer to as much as $250,000.

TechCrunch

None have come close to costing as much to make, either.

The New York Times

Begich is one of the few Democratic candidates to come close to receiving as much support from dark money as his Republican opponent.

Huffington Post

I'm trying to keep him close to me as much as I can".

The New York Times - Sports

I read about Formula One every day, and it is rare to see a piece in North American mainstream media that comes close to conveying as much as Horyn's article.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity and conciseness, consider using alternatives like "nearly as much" or "almost as much". While "close to as much" is understandable, these options often provide a smoother reading experience.

Common error

While acceptable, "close to as much" can sound less refined than alternatives like "nearly as much" or "approximately as much" in formal contexts. Opt for more precise language to enhance the professionalism of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to as much" functions primarily as an adverbial modifier, indicating a degree of approximation or near-equivalence. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is considered acceptable but not always the most elegant choice.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "close to as much" is a grammatically acceptable phrase used to express that two quantities are nearly equivalent. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's not always the most refined choice, especially in formal writing where alternatives like "nearly as much" or "almost as much" provide greater clarity and elegance. Usage is somewhat infrequent, with occurrences primarily in news and scientific contexts. The expert rating reflects a balance of grammatical correctness, source authority, and usage consistency, suggesting that while understandable, this phrase could often be improved upon. When deciding between this phrase and an alternative, you should make sure to consider the context and the audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly as much

Replaces "close to" with "nearly", indicating a slight difference in approximation.

almost as much

Substitutes "close to" with "almost", offering a more common synonym for approximation.

practically as much

Replaces "close to" with "practically", suggesting the quantity is nearly equal.

virtually as much

Similar to "practically as much" but emphasizing the resemblance is near-perfect.

just about as much

Adds "just about" for a more colloquial and less precise approximation.

roughly as much

Indicates an approximate quantity with less emphasis on closeness.

in the neighborhood of as much

Uses a more descriptive phrase to convey approximation.

approaching as much

Emphasizes the quantity is getting near a certain amount.

comparable to as much

Indicates that the quantity is similar or equivalent.

not far from as much

Highlights that there is little difference in the quantities

FAQs

What does "close to as much" mean?

The phrase "close to as much" indicates that a quantity or amount is nearly equal to another, suggesting a slight difference or approximation.

How can I use "close to as much" in a sentence?

Example: "He spent close to as much time studying as he did socializing."

Which is a better alternative to "close to as much": /s/nearly+as+much or /s/almost+as+much?

Both "nearly as much" and "almost as much" are good alternatives. The choice depends on stylistic preference, as they convey very similar meanings of approximation.

Is "close to as much" grammatically correct?

The phrase is grammatically acceptable, although it is not as common or preferred as alternatives like "almost as much" or "nearly as much". Its use is more a matter of style and clarity.