if only weakly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "if only weakly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or condition that is only slightly or minimally true or applicable. Example: "The evidence supports the theory, if only weakly, suggesting that further research is needed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But since then, the industry had begun to recover, if only weakly, creating 3,900 new jobs through December, the comptroller said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Thus, this suggests that BMI is not transmitted via mitochondrial DNA or, if so, only weakly.

BMJ Open

For example, the same peptide linker robustly supported dihydrofolate reductase fragments coming together in a PCA if they were separated by 39Å (~10 aa in length) but only weakly if they were separated by 73AÅ (Remy et al., 1999).

Cell Reports

Given the data contained in this report it appears as if HPV type may not be a significant variable, or if it is, then only weakly so.

Plosone

However, if socio-demographic characteristics only weakly explain intrapersonal variability, what other explanatory factors are left?

European Transport Research Review

Indeed, all the considered social network metrics are only weakly, if at all, correlated with citation numbers (see Supplementary Material (Additional file 1)).

EPJ Data Science

If both locations are only weakly correlated or worse not correlated at all, messages routed through the overlay might bounce between nodes that lay geographically far from one another, with drastic consequences for latency and network traffic.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

In any case, however, our observations suggest that crowding by globular proteins, which do not exhibit specific interactions with collagen, only weakly (if at all) affects procollagen folding.

Plosone

If antibiotic resistance is only weakly deleterious, resistant stains could be maintained in a structured environment with low or intermediate rates of immigration as long as episodic selective pressures halt the decay of these strains.

Plosone

This binding study reveals that the yBRDs have preferential binding to different histones; some such as yGcn5 and ySnf2 bind selectively to certain histones, whereas others, i.e. yRsc2-2 and ySpt7, bind histones only weakly, if at all.

Plosone

As a result, the Framingham risk score correlated with lathosterol (r = 0.28, P<0.0005) and the lathosterol-to-cholesterol ratio (r = 0.17, P<0.0005), but correlated only weakly, if at all, with campesterol (r = 0.03, P��= n.s).s

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "if only weakly" to acknowledge a minor or limited degree of an effect or condition. This can be particularly useful in academic writing when presenting nuanced findings.

Common error

Avoid using "if only weakly" when the effect is negligible or nonexistent. Ensure there's some discernible influence, even if minimal, to justify its use.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "if only weakly" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree to which a condition or action is carried out. It qualifies a statement, suggesting a limited or minimal effect. This is validated by Ludwig's AI assessment and observable in the examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

22%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "if only weakly" is used to express cautious or qualified agreement, often appearing in formal writing, scientific papers, and news articles. Its primary function is to acknowledge a condition or effect while also downplaying its significance or impact. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and the extracted examples demonstrate its utility in various contexts. While not highly frequent, understanding its subtle nuance can enhance precision in writing. Alternatives include "albeit feebly" and "though faintly".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

albeit feebly

Replaces "weakly" with "feebly" and "if only" with "albeit", slightly altering the tone.

though faintly

Substitutes "weakly" with "faintly" and "if only" with "though", emphasizing a lack of strength.

even if barely

Uses "barely" instead of "weakly", focusing on the minimal nature of the condition.

however slightly

Replaces the entire phrase with an adversative clause emphasizing the small degree.

just barely

Focuses on the minimal level of something being achieved.

scarcely

A single-word replacement for the entire phrase, indicating a minimal or insufficient degree.

to a limited extent

Emphasizes the constraint or restriction on the degree or impact.

in a minor way

Highlights the insignificance or unimportance of the effect or influence.

somewhat

A simple adverb indicating a degree of something, but not strongly.

barely perceptible

Emphasizes that something is almost not noticeable.

FAQs

How can I use "if only weakly" in a sentence?

You can use "if only weakly" to indicate that a condition or effect is present but not very strong. For example: "The evidence supports the theory, "if only weakly", suggesting that further research is needed."

What are some alternatives to "if only weakly"?

Some alternatives include "albeit feebly", "though faintly", or "even if barely". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "only weakly if" instead of "if only weakly"?

While "only weakly if" might be grammatically understandable, "if only weakly" is the more standard and idiomatic phrasing. "Only weakly if" might sound awkward or less natural in most contexts.

What's the difference between "if only weakly" and "not strongly"?

"If only weakly" is a more nuanced way of expressing something is present but has a minimal effect or strength. "Not strongly" is a more direct negation of strength, while "if only weakly" implies a qualified or limited presence. The choice depends on the degree of subtlety needed.