is virtually equivalent to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is virtually equivalent to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when comparing two concepts, terms, or items that are similar or have the same meaning in a practical sense. Example: "In many contexts, the term 'freedom' is virtually equivalent to 'liberty' in its implications."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

This method applies an iteration algorithm, which is virtually equivalent to the iteration algorithm of the unmodified Newton Raphson method combined with the vector potential formulation.

International Journal of Solids and Structures

Thus clause (i) is virtually equivalent to V1.

SEP

This is virtually equivalent to adopting an "infinite" label space.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

So, as it turns out, Peirce's definition of the difference between finite and infinite sets is virtually equivalent to the standard one, which is found in Section 5 of Richard Dedekind's Was Sind und Was Sollen die Zahlen?, to the effect that an infinite set is one that can be placed into a one-to-one correspondence with a proper subset of itself.

SEP

This benefit basket is virtually equivalent to that of the NHS but include some additional benefits.

European Journal of Health Economics

At position 1711, chromosomes 5 and 11 have a C as does the tissue; however, chromosome 3 has a T. A weak heteroplasmic signal is evident by a minute T peak, but because of the poor detection limit of fluorescent sequencing, this peak is virtually equivalent to background.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

This is not the case in several real systems, in particular in shared clusters, in which even the load variation may cause performance problems that are virtually equivalent to faults.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Both the western blot and real-time RT-PCR showed that there was a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of the aptamer ZE2 on viral infection, and the inhibitory effect of 100 nM ZE2 aptamer was virtually equivalent to that of 500 IU IFN-α (Figs. 6B and 6C).

Plosone

In post-disaster settings with reduced medical supplies, this may allow oral treatment to be virtually equivalent to parenteral therapy.

Critical Care

First, the knockout phenotypes of dnc-3 were virtually equivalent to those of the known dynactin components.

Genes to Cells

The results of the QTL analysis for GDU were virtually equivalent to those for DPS (Table 6) and will not be discussed further.

BMC Plant Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is virtually equivalent to", ensure that the context supports the idea of near equivalence rather than absolute identity. This implies that while there might be minor differences, they are negligible for practical purposes.

Common error

Avoid using "is virtually equivalent to" when the items being compared have significant differences. This phrase should only be used when the variations are minor and do not substantially alter the outcome or meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is virtually equivalent to" functions as a linking expression, establishing a relationship of near equality or strong similarity between two entities or concepts. As shown by Ludwig, the phrase implies that any differences are negligible in practical terms.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is virtually equivalent to" is a versatile linking phrase used to express a high degree of similarity, often implying practical interchangeability, as validated by Ludwig. While grammatically sound, it's crucial to use it judiciously, ensuring that any existing differences between the compared items are indeed minor. The phrase is suitable for diverse contexts, including scientific, academic, and journalistic writing, with the phrase mostly showing up in scientific context. Ludwig's examples and analyses underscore its role in simplifying comparisons and highlighting essential similarities while cautioning against overstating equivalence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is almost the same as

Replaces "virtually equivalent" with a simpler and more direct expression of near identity.

is practically identical to

Emphasizes the practical similarity, suggesting that any differences are negligible.

is essentially the same as

Highlights the fundamental sameness, even if there are superficial differences.

is nearly identical to

Indicates a very close resemblance with only minor discrepancies.

is to all intents and purposes the same as

A more formal and emphatic way of saying that something is practically equivalent.

is effectively equivalent to

Focuses on the end result or impact being the same.

is comparable to

Suggests that two things are similar enough to be compared, though not necessarily identical.

is much like

Offers a less formal way to express similarity.

is analogous to

Implies a similarity based on a specific point of comparison.

approximates to

Indicates that one thing is similar to another, but not exactly.

FAQs

How can I use "is virtually equivalent to" in a sentence?

Use "is virtually equivalent to" to show that two things are almost the same or have the same effect. For example: "In this context, method A is virtually equivalent to method B".

What phrases can I use instead of "is virtually equivalent to"?

You can use alternatives like "is almost the same as", "is practically identical to", or "is essentially the same as" depending on the context.

Is there a subtle difference between "is virtually equivalent to" and "is equivalent to"?

"Is equivalent to" implies complete equality, while "is virtually equivalent to" suggests a very high degree of similarity, but not necessarily complete equality. There might be minor differences that are negligible in practical terms.

When is it appropriate to use "is virtually equivalent to" in formal writing?

It's appropriate in formal writing when you want to convey that two concepts or methods are similar enough that they can be considered the same for practical purposes. However, always verify that any differences are indeed minor and do not affect the overall conclusion.