in aggregate

USAGE SUMMARY

"in aggregate" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to refer to the whole of a group of separate items when taken together. For example, "In aggregate, these individual pieces of data suggest a larger trend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

But in aggregate the numbers are revealing.

The New York Times

In aggregate, over a year, that is.

The New York Times

"Mosquitos in aggregate are not major food for anything.

The Guardian - Business

Other states, in aggregate, got twenty million more.

The New Yorker

But experienced in aggregate, too many dishes are too blunt.

The New York Times - Food

In aggregate form, Google's data can make a stunning presentation.

The New York Times - Tech

Survival statistics are gathered in aggregate, but people die individually.

The New York Times - Health

Hedge funds, in aggregate, don't deliver those returns.

The Guardian - Money

In aggregate, they are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The New Yorker

None of us feel the economy in aggregate statistics.

The Guardian - Opinion

But in aggregate, the effect is the same.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in aggregate" when you want to emphasize the overall impact or trend derived from combining individual data points. For example, "While individual customer complaints were minor, in aggregate they revealed a significant product defect."

Common error

Avoid using "in aggregate" when the focus is genuinely on a single instance or a specific subset of the data, rather than the cumulative effect. For example, it would be incorrect to say "In aggregate, this one error caused the system to crash"; instead, use "This one error caused the system to crash."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in aggregate" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by specifying that something is being considered as a whole or in total. Ludwig AI identifies this use as grammatically correct, supported by numerous examples from diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "in aggregate" is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to indicate that something is being considered as a whole, rather than in its individual parts. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and frequent use. It is particularly common in news and media, formal business settings, and encyclopedic content, where the goal is to provide a comprehensive overview or highlight overall trends. While it's similar to phrases like "as a whole" or "taken together", "in aggregate" is most effective when emphasizing the combination of individual data points to reveal a larger picture.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a whole

Focuses on the entirety rather than individual components, similar to "in aggregate" but more general.

taken together

Highlights the act of combining individual elements for a unified assessment, akin to "in aggregate".

collectively

Emphasizes the joint or shared nature of a group, similar to viewing data "in aggregate".

overall

Refers to the general or total impression, offering a broader perspective than "in aggregate".

in total

Directly indicates the sum or complete quantity, differing from "in aggregate" by focusing on quantity.

on the whole

Indicates a general view or summary, similar to "in aggregate" in presenting a comprehensive perspective.

all in all

Synthesizes different aspects into a summary, akin to using "in aggregate" to see the bigger picture.

when combined

Highlights the process of uniting separate items, similar to the concept behind "in aggregate".

summed up

Implies a summarized or totaled view, relating to "in aggregate" by providing a consolidated figure.

in its entirety

Focuses on the completeness of something, relating to "in aggregate" by considering all elements.

FAQs

How can I use "in aggregate" in a sentence?

Use "in aggregate" to indicate that you are considering the total or combined effect of multiple items or data points, such as: "The individual losses were small, but "in aggregate", they represented a substantial financial impact."

What's a simple way to rephrase "in aggregate"?

You can replace "in aggregate" with phrases like "taken together", "as a whole", or "collectively" to convey a similar meaning of considering something as a combined total.

Is it always necessary to use "in aggregate" when referring to collective data?

No, using "in aggregate" is optional. It's most useful when you want to emphasize that you are specifically looking at the combined effect rather than individual components. Other phrases like "overall" can also be used.

What is the difference between "in aggregate" and "on average"?

"In aggregate" refers to the total or combined amount, while "on average" refers to a typical or representative value. For example, "in aggregate, the company's profits increased by 15%", whereas "on average, each employee worked 40 hours per week".