fairly exact

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly exact" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is reasonably accurate or precise, but not completely so. Example: "The measurements we took were fairly exact, allowing us to proceed with the construction plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

But making pills with a drug like fentanyl is a fairly exact science.

The Guardian

Hanif Kureishi's latest fiction involves a fairly exact portrait of VS Naipaul.

The Guardian - Books

With Paul DePodesta's help, he is able to put fairly exact numbers on the value of any given baseball player.

The New York Times - Magazine

They will come away feeling as if they have achieved a fairly exact accounting of what Eli Manning did as a quarterback.

The New York Times - Magazine

Public opinion polling can provide a fairly exact analysis of the distribution of opinions on almost any issue within a given population.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Once they become at all established anywhere, that's the end, because to robots time happens one million times faster – that's a fairly exact figure – than it does to us.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Numerical experiments show that the model is fairly accurate and, for certain reactions, gives exact results.

Chemical Engineering Science

We have demonstrated that NPT yields fairly accurate results with little CPU-effort as compared to state-of-the-art exact diagonalization.

Computer Physics Communications

While we do introduce some approximations to facilitate mathematical tractability, the analytical solution is asymptotically exact as the number of antennas approaches infinity, while for systems with few antennas, it turns out to be a fairly accurate approximation.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Although the term is fairly straightforward, the exact pathology and thus the clinical picture and natural history may vary.

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

"People are being fairly careless, giving exact details of their plans, with their real name on Facebook and very low privacy settings.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fairly exact", ensure the context clarifies the acceptable margin of error or imprecision. It suggests accuracy is important but not absolute.

Common error

Avoid using "fairly exact" when describing something that requires absolute precision. Opt for terms like "precise" or "accurate" instead when high exactness is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly exact" functions as a modifier, specifically an adjectival phrase. It modifies a noun by describing its degree of accuracy or precision. It indicates that something is close to being exact, but not perfectly so. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

31%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Wiki

11%

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fairly exact" is a grammatically sound adjectival phrase used to describe something that is reasonably accurate or precise, but not perfectly so. Ludwig AI confirms that it's correct and usable in written English. With a "Common" frequency, it appears across various contexts, including news media, science, and encyclopedias. It's crucial to use it when accuracy is important, but a margin of error is acceptable. Alternatives like "relatively precise" or "reasonably accurate" can be used depending on the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

relatively precise

Replaces "fairly" with "relatively", indicating a similar degree of approximation.

reasonably accurate

Substitutes "exact" with "accurate" and "fairly" with "reasonably", maintaining a similar meaning.

moderately precise

Replaces "fairly" with "moderately", suggesting a similar level of precision.

somewhat accurate

Uses "somewhat" in place of "fairly", conveying a slightly less definite sense of accuracy.

approximated closely

Changes the structure to a verb phrase, focusing on the act of approximating.

near accurate

Shortens "fairly exact" emphasizing nearness to accuracy.

virtually precise

Uses "virtually" to indicate a close approximation to precision.

largely correct

Shifts the focus to correctness rather than exactness, while maintaining a degree of approximation.

roughly accurate

Emphasizes the approximate nature of the accuracy.

in the right ballpark

An idiomatic expression indicating a close approximation.

FAQs

How can I use "fairly exact" in a sentence?

"Fairly exact" is used to describe something that is close to accurate but not perfectly so. For instance, "The model provides a fairly exact representation of the real-world phenomenon."

What phrases can I use instead of "fairly exact"?

Alternatives include "relatively precise", "reasonably accurate", or "moderately precise" depending on the context and the degree of accuracy you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "fairly exact" in scientific writing?

Yes, "fairly exact" can be appropriate in scientific writing when describing approximations or models that are not perfectly precise. However, ensure that the level of imprecision is clearly defined.

What is the difference between "fairly exact" and "exact"?

"Exact" implies complete accuracy, while "fairly exact" suggests a level of approximation. Use "exact" when precision is absolute and "fairly exact" when there's an acceptable margin of error.