it practically works

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it practically works" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is almost effective or functions well enough for practical purposes, even if it may not be perfect. Example: "The new software has some bugs, but it practically works for our needs right now."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The discussions should have more context by mentioning socioeconomic factors like unemployment and not having access to good education and health care, and systematic racism so ingrained that it practically works by itself.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But Ms. Cherry, also 91, worked for a number of magazines — "I practically worked for most of them," she said.

The New York Times

Although we can hardly prove the heuristic is guaranteed to find the critical dimension for all datasets, it is very efficient and practically works on the two real datasets we used to evaluate CENI models.

Data Science and Engineering

Basquiat and Warhol paintings that hang above the lobby bar's baroque divans -- Dolce & Gabbana sent out paint-splattered pieces for its spring collection that are themselves practically works of art.

The New York Times

Since pose is part of estimation, the algorithm practically works as a multiview algorithm.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Furthermore, we witnessed that Foresight practically works with both, the publicity-stopover as well as the talk-into option.

European Journal of Futures Research

But he said it soon became clear such a move would "neither legally or practically" work and the current plan was now much "closer to managed return".

BBC

He said he believed it quickly became clear that such a move would "neither legally nor practically" work.

BBC

"Work for the police and you're practically working for the gangs," he says.

Independent

As a business strategy, prototyping ideas really fast – and throwing away what doesn't practically work – is becoming really important.

The Guardian

Practically working to solve social problems fills you with a feeling of hopefulness as you know that you are trying your very best to make the world a little better.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it practically works" to convey that something is functional enough to serve its intended purpose, even if not perfect.

Common error

Avoid using "it practically works" when something is fundamentally broken or unreliable; it implies a degree of functionality that should be genuine.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it practically works" functions as a descriptive statement, indicating that something is almost fully operational or sufficiently functional for a specific purpose. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase highlights a level of functionality that, while not perfect, is adequate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it practically works" is a way of saying that something is functional enough for its purpose, even if it is not perfect. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and usable, although relatively rare. It is used in both News & Media and Scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the subject truly has a practical level of functionality. Consider alternatives like "it essentially functions" or "it almost works" for similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it virtually works

Replaces 'practically' with 'virtually', suggesting near functionality.

it essentially functions

Substitutes 'works' with 'functions' and 'practically' with 'essentially', emphasizing core operation.

it nearly operates

Uses 'nearly' instead of 'practically' and 'operates' in place of 'works', indicating close to full operation.

it almost functions

Replaces 'practically' with 'almost', implying a state close to being fully functional.

it basically runs

Uses 'basically' instead of 'practically' and 'runs' in place of 'works', suggesting fundamental operation.

it is effectively working

Rephrases to emphasize ongoing effectiveness, using a continuous tense.

it is close to working

Expresses proximity to functionality, highlighting the near completion of operation.

it is as good as working

Emphasizes that the result is comparable to something fully functional.

it is almost ready

Shifts focus to the state of readiness, implying functionality is imminent.

it suffices for now

Indicates current adequacy despite potential limitations, using more emphatic and concise construction.

FAQs

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

You can use "it practically works" to describe something that functions adequately for its intended purpose, even if it's not flawless. For example, "The old car has some issues, but "it practically works" for commuting."

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

You can use alternatives like "it essentially functions", "it almost works", or "it virtually works" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "it practically works" formal or informal?

"It practically works" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's generally more common in neutral or informal settings. In highly formal contexts, consider more precise alternatives.

Which is correct, "it practically works" or "it practically worked"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but their usage depends on the tense you want to convey. "It practically works" is present tense, while "it practically worked" is past tense. For example, "It practically works now after the fix" versus "It practically worked before the update".