just about the same as

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "just about the same as" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that two things are nearly identical or very similar in nature or quality. Example: "The two products are just about the same as each other in terms of performance and price."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

To the untrained eye the "after" pictures look just about the same as the "before" ones.

The New Yorker

"I guess I sweat just about the same as anyone else".

The New York Times - Science

The Powerocks Tarot, though, trumpets its size, because it's just about the same as a stack of credit cards.

The New York Times

The numbers of women in the House and Senate will be just about the same as they were before.

The New York Times

And so what if its €490, or $606, price is just about the same as a basic iPad?

The New York Times

Last year, 18.7 percent of high school seniors were smokers — just about the same as the percentage of teenagers who are obese.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

In terms of sheer volume, Prelude is mind-boggling too: if you took six of the world's largest aircraft carriers, and measured the total amount of water they displaced, that would just about be the same as with this one gigantic vessel.

BBC

The 2006 Audi A3 starts life at $24,740 about the price of a Subaru WRX Sport Wagon and just about the same size as well.

Forbes

For the provinces that voted, the turnout was just 50 percent, about the same as the overall turnout for the 2009 local elections, but lower than the 62 percent during national elections in 2010.

The New York Times

As of April 6, three-quarters of 400 listed Net stocks traded below $5 and had a total market value of just $22 billion–about the same as Amazon.com, eBay and Yahoo! combined.

Forbes

"Just about the same age as Ronald Reagan," he said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "just about the same as" to draw comparisons in situations where absolute precision isn't essential, but a general sense of equivalence is needed.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on phrases like "just about the same as" without providing specific details to support the comparison. Vague comparisons can weaken your argument.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "just about the same as" primarily functions as a comparative expression, drawing parallels between two or more entities. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is grammatically correct and serves to establish similarity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "just about the same as" functions as a comparative expression to indicate an approximate equivalence between two or more things. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and the phrase is commonly found in news and media, science, and other contexts. While it is adaptable to various situations, overuse of vague language should be avoided. Alternatives like "virtually identical to" or "nearly the same as" can provide more nuanced comparisons depending on the context. This phrase serves as a useful tool for expressing similarity when precision isn't paramount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually identical to

Emphasizes near-perfect similarity with minor differences.

nearly identical to

Highlights a very close resemblance, suggesting only slight variations.

almost the same as

Indicates a high degree of similarity, but acknowledges some level of difference.

substantially similar to

Suggests significant overlap in key characteristics or features.

roughly equivalent to

Implies a close functional or practical equivalence.

more or less the same as

Acknowledges some minor discrepancies or variations.

comparable to

Highlights the degree to which two or more things share similar traits or can be assessed side-by-side.

akin to

Indicates a resemblance in spirit, character, or quality.

on par with

Implies equality in status, quality, or performance.

tantamount to

Suggests equivalence in effect or value, often in a negative context.

FAQs

What does "just about the same as" mean?

The phrase "just about the same as" means nearly equal or very similar. It indicates that two things are close in value, amount, or quality, but not exactly identical.

How can I use "just about the same as" in a sentence?

You can use "just about the same as" to compare two things that are similar. For example, "The price of the two items is "just about the same as"."

What are some alternatives to "just about the same as"?

Alternatives include "almost identical to", "nearly the same as", or "virtually identical to". The best choice depends on the specific context and the degree of similarity you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "about the same as" and "just about the same as"?

The addition of "just" in "just about the same as" slightly intensifies the approximation. While "about the same as" indicates similarity, "just about the same as" emphasizes that the similarity is very close.