crude balance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'crude balance' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a rough, or initial, assessment of something, as opposed to a more precise or refined approach. For example, "We used a crude balance of power to assess the political situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

His relationships, his drug use, his slightly demented sexual encounters – all are sold as the products of his job (which is what, exactly?) and the crude balance of his social group – identical businessmen with their identically drug-dependent girlfriends.

The Guardian - Books

[2] The FSEIS recognizes that in the short to medium term, light crude balance world oil supplies – meaning that whichever crude is offset from the Gulf Coast market, tar sands from Keystone XL would offset lighter, less carbon intensive crudes.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Riyadh in 2014 introduced a new oil strategy aimed at defending its market share and allowing cheap crude to balance the market without cutting supplies, regardless of how low oil prices might fall.

Huffington Post

Thought to have been conceived, in the form of a crude equal-arm balance, in Egypt in around 5000BC, weighing scales facilitated early trade – the first balances were used to weigh gold dust.

TechCrunch

This provides a crude way to balance what has already been invested in a life against what might come of it.

The Economist

Besides raving about how thrilling and gripping it is, reviewers have praised CRUDE for its "balance," "depth," "intellectual honesty," and "even-handed manner".

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Huffington Post

In these crude analyses both balance and chair rise performance declined with decreases in all four indicators of SEP, with the exception of adult occupation and chair rise performance where no association was found.

European Journal of Epidemiology

Not all of the comic exaggerations are equally nuanced, yet its occasional crude derision is balanced by the undertone of strange pathos in the eyes of Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson, who knows that his great might needs great restraint from a still greater force.

The New Yorker

The young actor's portrayal of an innocent but adventurous high school student finds a lovely balance between crude adolescent avidity and an inner sweetness that contradicts everything Roger stands for.

The New York Times

"OPEC is trying to compensate part of the shortage of supply of crude and create a balance in the market," Iran's OPEC governor, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, recently told the semiofficial Mehr news agency.

The New York Times

"The young actor's portrayal of an innocent but adventurous high school student finds a lovely balance between crude adolescent avidity and an inner sweetness that contradicts everything Roger stands for," Mr. Holden wrote.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "crude balance", ensure the context clearly indicates that the balance is not precise or refined, but rather a basic or initial assessment.

Common error

Avoid implying a high degree of accuracy when describing something as a "crude balance". The term suggests an approximation, not a precise measurement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "crude balance" functions as a noun phrase, where "crude" modifies the noun "balance". It describes a state of equilibrium that is not precise or refined, implying a basic or initial assessment. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its usage in contexts related to oil supply and social dynamics.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "crude balance" refers to a rough or preliminary assessment of equilibrium. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct but rare in usage. The phrase appears in both news and media and scientific contexts, suggesting that its use is mostly neutral/formal. Consider alternative phrases such as "rough equilibrium" or "preliminary assessment" depending on the specific context. When using "crude balance", make sure to avoid implying a level of precision that the phrase inherently lacks.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rough equilibrium

Replaces "crude" with "rough" maintaining the sense of an approximate balance.

approximate equilibrium

Substitutes "crude" with "approximate", emphasizing the inexact nature of the balance.

preliminary assessment

Replaces "balance" with "assessment", shifting the focus to an initial evaluation.

initial estimation

Uses "estimation" instead of "balance", suggesting a first-pass calculation.

basic calculation

Emphasizes the simplicity of the calculation involved in determining the balance.

rough calculation

Suggests the use of preliminary math for balance.

initial approximation

Highlights that the balance is an approximation and not precise.

high-level overview

Conveys an understanding of an overview without fine details.

early-stage equalization

Focuses on the concept of equalization as a preliminary endeavor.

preliminary stabilization

Suggests balance as a state of stabilization that is still at its initial stage.

FAQs

What does "crude balance" mean?

"Crude balance" refers to a rough or initial assessment of equilibrium, rather than a precise or refined calculation.

How can I use "crude balance" in a sentence?

You might say, "We performed a "rough equilibrium" calculation to get a sense of the market dynamics".

What are some alternatives to "crude balance"?

Alternatives include "approximate equilibrium", "preliminary assessment", or "initial estimation" depending on the context.

Is "crude balance" the same as "precise balance"?

No, "crude balance" implies an approximation, while a "precise balance" suggests a high degree of accuracy.