essentially at the same time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "essentially at the same time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that two or more events occur simultaneously or in a very close timeframe. Example: "The two experiments were conducted essentially at the same time, allowing for a direct comparison of results."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The game was changing – he arrived, essentially, at the same time as T20 – and Virender Sehwag was pushing at the limits too, along with Chris Gayle and Adam Gilchrist and then lots of others.

The Guardian - Sport

"Tragically, this was essentially at the same time our officers were getting ambushed and murdered," Bratton said.

Los Angeles Times

The downregulation of LAT1 mRNA in brain vessels occurred essentially at the same time course and with the same robustness as that of OATP1c1 and MCT8 mRNAs [ 10].

Fluids and Barriers of the CNS

The idea proposed essentially at the same time by Keshari et al. and Bohndiek et al. is to hyperpolarize and inject solutions containing [1-C]DHA to probe the intracellular redox status by measuring the C NMR signal intensity ratio between [1-C]DHA and [1-C]Asc.

Biochemistry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

You start by selecting images from the your camera roll — as many as you want, essentially, all at the same time, and the app cuts them out, collage-style.

TechCrunch

In Buddhist theory, the whole thing drives in re-birth, because the cause and effect chain doesn't die when you do - the world goes on essentially, but at the same time, so does the balance of kamma / karma.

WikiHow

As is shown in Figures 2 and 3, phosphorylation of both PKC α and PKC ε at the hydrophobic site occurs, within the resolution of our methods, at essentially the same time point, consistent with PKC autophosphorylation causing full activation of the kinase.

BioMed Research International

And speaking of anticompetitive: Isn't it a little fishy that all four big United States carriers raised their text-message fees at essentially the same time?

The New York Times - Tech

She flew at essentially the same time of day as the crash, and believes he was aboard the same helicopter that went down Saturday after colliding with a small plane.

The New York Times

A stellar association is thus, in effect, an extremely young group of stars, formed at essentially the same time in the same region of space from a single interstellar cloud.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In the Drosophila compound eye, two events – the establishment of photoreceptor fates and a subsequent sophisticated morphogenetic movement of the photoreceptors – affect the same set of cells at essentially the same time in development.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "essentially at the same time" when you want to convey that two or more events occur very close in time, but not necessarily perfectly synchronized. This is useful when perfect simultaneity isn't critical to the meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "essentially at the same time" when you actually mean that events are perfectly synchronized. In such cases, stick to phrases like "simultaneously" or "at the exact same moment".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essentially at the same time" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb or clause, indicating when an action occurred relative to another. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase indicates simultaneity or near simultaneity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "essentially at the same time" is a versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate that two or more events occurred very close together in time. As Ludwig AI clarifies, it is grammatically correct and usable in a variety of contexts, ranging from news and media to scientific publications. While it doesn't imply perfect synchronicity, it effectively conveys temporal proximity. Alternatives such as "virtually simultaneously" or "practically concurrently" can be used depending on the desired level of precision. It is important to avoid overstating simultaneity and use the phrase appropriately when perfect synchronicity isn't implied.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually simultaneously

Implies almost perfect synchronicity, often used in technical contexts.

practically concurrently

Suggests events happening close together in time, with a focus on the practical aspect.

in close succession

Highlights that events follow each other rapidly, though not necessarily at the exact same moment.

almost contemporaneously

Formally indicates events happening around the same period.

more or less concurrently

Indicates a degree of approximation regarding when events happen in relation to each other.

in temporal proximity

Emphasizes closeness in time, common in academic writing.

at approximately the same moment

Highlights the moment in time, rather than duration.

near-simultaneous

Short, technical and more immediate than "essentially at the same time".

around the same time

Less formal indicating an estimated point in time that is relatively close.

in the same timeframe

Highlights duration relative to each other, rather than simultaneity.

FAQs

What does "essentially at the same time" mean?

The phrase "essentially at the same time" means that two or more events occurred very close together in time. While not perfectly simultaneous, they are near enough to be considered concurrent.

When is it appropriate to use "essentially at the same time"?

It's appropriate to use "essentially at the same time" when you want to indicate that two events occurred closely together, but perfect synchronicity isn't necessary or implied. For example, you might say, "The discovery was made "almost contemporaneously" by two different teams."

What are some alternatives to "essentially at the same time"?

Some alternatives include "virtually simultaneously", "practically concurrently", or "in close succession". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "essentially at the same time" formal or informal?

The phrase "essentially at the same time" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While not overly technical, it provides a level of precision that makes it appropriate for various writing styles.