it looks practically

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it looks practically" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something appears to be almost or nearly a certain way, often in a subjective context. Example: "After reviewing the evidence, it looks practically certain that the project will be completed on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Africa, a huge continent with a mere 944 million people on it, looks practically empty from above.

The New York Times

In fact, based on current trends, it looks practically impossible to avoid catastrophic climate change if we retain our current diets.

The Guardian

It looks practically torn by hand, hunks of it scattered among the shriveled yellow-white skins of once-green chile peppers that have been blanched and sun-dried until leached of color.

The New York Times - Food

Now it looks practically permanent: well organised and efficient, with neat piles of clothes and food brightly labelled in Spanish and English and bilingual volunteers wearing "disaster response" bibs ready to help clean, clothe, feed and entertain the migrants for a few hours before they head to the nearby bus station.

The Guardian

In this case, the tale of Troilus, a Trojan warrior, and his doomed love for Cressida is aided by a cast so young it looks practically teenage and a modern setting full of iPhones, gaucheness and a kind of petulance that, before this production, I had considered specific to the 21st century – but now assume that Shakespeare identified in the late-adolescents of 1602.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Here's a line that seemed inflammatory then but looks practically clairvoyant today: "At worst, it will relegate Texans to Draconian cuts in critical areas like education and health care for at least a generation.

The New York Times

It's a little before three on a sunny Friday afternoon and Laugardalur Park, near central Reykjavik, Iceland, looks practically deserted.

Vice

With him, the secondary looks practically impenetrable.

The New York Times

Thirty-five yeafterfthe the Sex Pistols sang God Save the Queen, what seemed transgressive now looks practically quaint.

The Guardian - Music

Whitestone's shopping district, clustered around 150th Street and 14th Avenue, looks practically Rockwellian, with an old-fashioned chemist and a music shop, as well as a tavern tucked inside an old bank.

The New York Times

Then he inserted a Finochietto retractor — a stainless-steel crank that, in the age of laparoscopic surgery, looks practically medieval — and spread apart the ribs to gain access to the heart, which had a hole in the right ventricle.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it looks practically" when you want to express a subjective assessment based on visual evidence, implying a high degree of certainty without absolute proof. For example, "After the renovation, it looks practically brand new."

Common error

Avoid using "it looks practically" when describing situations that are definitively certain. "Practically" implies near certainty, not absolute fact. Instead of saying, "It looks practically finished" when the project is entirely done, simply state, "It is finished."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it looks practically" functions as an evaluative observation, where 'looks' serves as a linking verb connecting 'it' to the adverb 'practically' modifying an implied adjective. Ludwig examples show its use in describing appearances that are very close to a certain state.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it looks practically" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express a subjective assessment based on visual evidence. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Although relatively rare in occurrence, the phrase is most commonly found in News & Media contexts. Use "it looks practically" to convey a near certainty in appearance, but avoid it when absolute certainty is known. Be mindful of more precise alternatives, such as "it appears almost" or "it seems virtually", for subtle differences in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it appears almost

Replaces "looks" with "appears" and "practically" with "almost", indicating a near certainty based on observation.

it seems virtually

Substitutes "looks" with "seems" and "practically" with "virtually", conveying an impression that something is almost entirely the case.

it is nearly evident

Changes the structure to emphasize the evident nature, using "nearly" instead of "practically".

it is almost certain

Focuses on the high degree of certainty, foregoing the observational aspect implied by "looks".

it suggests closely

Emphasizes the suggestion or implication of a close resemblance or outcome.

it resembles nearly

Highlights the resemblance with a sense of approximation.

it presents itself almost

Shifts focus to how something is presented, indicating a near complete state.

it comes across virtually

Focuses on the impression something gives, using 'virtually' to convey nearness.

it feels substantially like

Changes the sense to a feeling and indicates a considerable likeness.

it approximates closely

Highlights that something is close to an accurate estimate.

FAQs

How can I use "it looks practically" in a sentence?

Use "it looks practically" to describe something that visually appears to be almost a certain way. For example, "After the repairs, the car "it looks practically new"."

What can I say instead of "it looks practically"?

You can use alternatives like "it appears almost", "it seems virtually", or "it is nearly evident" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "it looks practically perfect"?

Yes, it's correct. Saying "it looks practically perfect" implies that something appears to be very close to perfect, even if it might not be absolutely flawless.

What's the difference between "it looks practically" and "it looks almost"?

Both phrases are similar, but "it looks practically" might suggest a slightly stronger degree of certainty than "it looks almost". "Practically" often implies a functional or real-world assessment.