close to suitable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close to suitable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is nearly appropriate or fitting for a particular purpose or situation. Example: "The solution we found is close to suitable, but it still needs some adjustments to meet all requirements."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The phase-referencing capability of ASTRO-G would allow long integrations and hence better sensitivity for observing faint target sources close to suitable phase calibrators in the sky.

Advances in Space Research

By placing the initial population in the center of the domain, close to suitable substrates, the results we found for the growth of the population that could not use infochemicals is probably much better than in the natural situation where the fruit flies had to recolonize the area.

Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It requires that the analyte is adsorbed on or close to a suitable roughened surface usually of silver or gold.

Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering

O'Brien walked the straight mile here and said afterwards that the ground is "very close" to being suitable for Gleneagles but any rain at Ascot before the race at 2.30pm would inevitably see the colt ruled out.

The Guardian - Sport

While there are no foreign ports close to Hawaii suitable for cruise ship visits, Mr. Veitch said, the SuperStar Leo can reach 25 knots, about 5 knots faster than ships cruising the Caribbean, and therefore it could make the trip in each direction to Fanning Island and still have time to cruise the Hawaiian Islands.

The New York Times - Travel

Schistosomiasis, perhaps more than any other disease, is entrenched in prevailing social ecological systems, since transmission is governed by human behaviour (e.g. open defecation and patterns of unprotected surface water contacts) and ecological features (e.g. living in close proximity to suitable freshwater bodies in which intermediate host snails proliferate).

Acta Tropica

Fortunately, both Delos and Itsukushima are very small and close to other, more suitable land masses, so the gods' requirements were just about manageable.

The Guardian

As a result of all this activity, we are not too far from having a workable design for a lunar colony life-support system and will probably come close to designing a suitable space station life-support system as well by the end of this decade.

The New York Times

Experts say the lack of clouds and the angle and intensity of sunlight, especially in Egypt's south, are especially propitious for solar power, as are the cost benefits of a large existing electric grid and heavy demand close to empty deserts suitable for large solar installations.

The Economist

Results showed in Table 7 clearly indicate that pH close to 5.5 is suitable for biosynthesis of Zn, Mg and Ti nanoparticles.

International Nano Letters

Consequently, we confirm that value close to 0.5 is suitable for α. Figure 16 plots the maximum eigenvalue as the number of classes and the number of nodes in each class are varied with α = 0.5 and β = 1.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close to suitable" when you want to express that something is not perfectly suitable but is near the desired level of appropriateness or effectiveness. It softens the statement compared to saying something is simply 'suitable'.

Common error

Avoid using "close to suitable" when a definitive statement about suitability is required. The phrase implies a degree of uncertainty or approximation, which may not be appropriate in all contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to suitable" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating the degree to which something meets the requirements or expectations for a particular purpose. As Ludwig indicates, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "close to suitable" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that something nearly meets the requirements or expectations for a given purpose. As Ludwig confirms, the phrase is correct. It appears more frequently in scientific and news contexts, suggesting a neutral register. When writing, be mindful of using it when you need to convey a precise degree of suitability. Consider alternative phrases like "nearly adequate" or "almost appropriate" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly adequate

Indicates something is almost but not quite adequate.

almost appropriate

Suggests a high degree of appropriateness, stopping just short of complete suitability.

borderline acceptable

Implies the suitability is at the edge of acceptability.

approaching ideal

Suggests movement toward an ideal level of suitability.

in the vicinity of appropriate

More formal and emphasizes the nearness to being appropriate.

nearing perfection

Focuses on the aspect of reaching an optimal state.

verging on acceptable

Highlights that it is only slightly away from being acceptable.

just shy of fitting

Emphasizes that the subject almost fits, being only marginally unsuitable.

virtually qualified

Focuses on meeting qualifications, being close to satisfying required conditions.

coming close to ideal

Expresses reaching an optimal state.

FAQs

How can I use "close to suitable" in a sentence?

You can use "close to suitable" to describe something that almost meets the requirements or expectations. For example: "The proposed solution is close to suitable, but requires further refinement."

What are some alternatives to "close to suitable"?

Alternatives include "nearly adequate", "almost appropriate", or "borderline acceptable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "close to suitable" instead of just "suitable"?

Use "close to suitable" when something isn't a perfect fit but is near the required level. It implies a degree of approximation that "suitable" doesn't convey.

What's the difference between "close to suitable" and "almost suitable"?

The phrases are very similar, but "close to suitable" might suggest a slightly greater degree of nearness to the desired level compared to "almost suitable".