more or less close

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more or less close" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It implies that something is approximately or roughly close, but not exact or precise. It can be used to describe a variety of things such as distance, relationships, or accuracy. Example sentence: "The restaurant is more or less close to my house, about a 10-minute drive."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Each state-based model is considered as an abstraction, which is more or less close to the target algorithmic entity.

Future Generation Computer Systems

"I get on a weekly basis things that are more or less close to Leonardo that the owners are convinced are some great lost original," Professor Kemp said.

The New York Times - Arts

To assess the available foodstuffs for mammoth provision, data concerning productivity and nutritive value of modern herb and grass vegetation that may be considered as more or less close analogues of periglacial communities can be used.

Quaternary International

This work deals with the structural behaviour, ultimate strength and design of fixed-ended cold-formed steel (CFS) lipped channel columns experiencing various levels of local-distortional-global buckling mode interaction (more or less close critical local, distortional and global loads).

Computers & Structures

Because, the pore dimensions of ACs are more or less close to the size of the adsorbate molecules, they exhibit high adsorption capacity [9].

Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry

The cropping period for the other two substrates (sawdust and paper waste) was 37 and 39 days, which is more or less close to the maximum period recorded on wheat straw.

AMB Express

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Conducting was at that point more or less closed off to women, even gifted ones.

The New York Times - Arts

There is also a strange picture of an old woman with her "baby monkey" dressed up as a child, which more or less closes out the exhibition.

The New York Times

But even before the arrival of those highly educated immigrants, the Asians already living in the United States had more or less closed the wage gap with whites.

The Washington Post

Not only did those countries which are more or less closed off learn a lot from us, but we learned a lot from them and were able to advise our government.

University of California, Berkeley

Therefore their binding mode interaction is more or less closer to each other.

Chemistry Central Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "more or less close" to indicate an approximate nearness or similarity, especially when precision is not critical. For example, "The deadline is more or less close, so we need to finalize the report soon."

Common error

Avoid relying on "more or less close" when a more precise description is possible and necessary for clarity. For example, instead of saying "The measurements were more or less close", provide the actual range of the measurements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more or less close" functions as an adverbial modifier to indicate the degree of proximity. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it qualifies how near something is, suggesting it is near but not precisely so. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

41%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "more or less close" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier to indicate approximate nearness or similarity. According to Ludwig, the phrase is well-regarded in diverse contexts, particularly in science and news media, to convey that something is near, but not precisely so. While precise language is generally preferred, "more or less close" serves well when exactness is either unattainable or unnecessary. Using alternatives like "roughly approximate" or "relatively nearby" can enhance clarity and formality in various writing scenarios. As verified by Ludwig AI, the phrase is widely accepted and understood in standard English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more or less in proximity

Replaces "close" with "in proximity", maintaining similar meaning but using a different term.

roughly approximate

Focuses on the approximate nature of the closeness, highlighting a lack of precision.

somewhat near

Uses a simpler structure to express the concept of nearness to some extent.

relatively nearby

Highlights the comparative aspect of the closeness, suggesting it's closer than other options.

in the general vicinity

Emphasizes location and broad area rather than specific closeness.

fairly adjacent

Implies direct neighboring proximity to something else, maintaining a degree of closeness.

kind of close

Utilizes a more casual tone and phrasing to indicate approximate closeness.

approximately in range

Highlights that something is within an estimated or calculated distance.

practically touching

Emphasizes near-contact or minimal separation.

almost contiguous

Focuses on the idea of being very closely connected or bordering each other.

FAQs

How can I use "more or less close" in a sentence?

Use "more or less close" to describe something that is approximately near or similar, but not exact. For instance, "The two estimates were "more or less close" to each other".

What's a more formal alternative to "more or less close"?

In formal contexts, consider using alternatives like "approximately near", "relatively close", or "in close proximity" for a more sophisticated tone.

Is it better to be precise instead of saying "more or less close"?

Precision is always preferable when possible. Use "more or less close" only when exactness is not achievable or necessary. Otherwise, provide specific details and measurements.

When is it appropriate to use "more or less close"?

It is appropriate when conveying an idea of approximate nearness or similarity where the exact value or distance is either unknown, unimportant, or difficult to ascertain.