more or less true

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more or less true" is correct and commonly used in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to express that something is approximately or mostly true, but not necessarily completely accurate. Example: "The witness's account of the event was more or less true, but there were some discrepancies in their story."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

That is still more or less true.

The New Yorker

More or less true, and certainly lamentable.

The New York Times

And this is more or less true.

The Washington Post

This turned out to be more or less true.

The New Yorker

Wales concedes that this is more or less true.

The New York Times - Magazine

"More or less true," he responded on the tape.

The New York Times

But Carandini provocatively suggests that it might be more or less true.

The New Yorker

In fact this turns out to be more or less true.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

The opera they saw, Mark-Anthony Turnage's "Anna Nicole," tells the more-or-less true life story of Anna Nicole Smith, a former Playboy model who married an octogenarian oil tycoon, J.

The New York Times - Arts

Mr. Miller, who was one of the writers of the movie "Animal House," was a member of Dartmouth's legendary Alpha Delta Phi, the inspiration for the film, and he here recounts the more-or-less true story of what it was like to be back there pounding brews with Flounder, Dumptruck, Otter and a guy named Moses, whose specialty was setting fire to his pubic hair.

The New York Times

It's a standard show of its kind, relating urban legends, conspiracy theories and sensational more-or-less-true stories with the help of cheap special effects and hilariously cheesy re-creations.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place the phrase after a linking verb like "is", "remains" or "turned out to be" to qualify the status of a previous claim.

Common error

Do not use "more or less true" as a vague filler when you have the means to be precise. In scientific or technical contexts, if a specific percentage of error is known, stating that figure is preferable to using a hedge. Avoid using it to deliberately obscure a known falsehood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more or less true" functions as an adjectival phrase modified by a degree adverbial. It is used to quantify the veracity of a statement, indicating that it is roughly or approximately correct. According to Ludwig, it typically serves as a subject complement following a copular verb.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "more or less true" is a vital tool for any writer who needs to navigate the complexities of factual accuracy. Ludwig AI identifies this expression as both grammatically correct and highly prevalent across prestigious publications like The New York Times and The Guardian. It serves as a sophisticated hedge, allowing authors to affirm the core validity of a story, theory or report while acknowledging that perfection in detail is elusive. Whether used in a Neutral journalistic context or a Formal scientific discussion, it remains a reliable way to communicate approximate truth without sacrificing intellectual honesty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mostly true

suggests a higher percentage of accuracy and is more direct

largely accurate

more formal and often used in technical or analytical reporting

essentially true

focuses on the core essence of the statement rather than the details

broadly accurate

implies correctness in a general sense without focusing on specifics

substantially correct

carries a more formal or legalistic tone

roughly true

more informal and emphasizes the approximation

principally correct

indicates the main points are right even if minor ones are not

effectively true

suggests that while technically flawed, the statement works as true in practice

somewhat accurate

expresses more hesitation and a lower degree of certainty

partially correct

explicitly notes that only a portion of the statement is valid

FAQs

How do I use "more or less true" in a sentence?

You can use it to qualify a statement, for example: "The legend of the founder is "more or less true" even if some details are exaggerated."

What is the difference between "more or less true" and "mostly true"?

While similar, "mostly true" suggests a higher volume of factual content, whereas "more or less true" emphasizes that the statement is an approximation or a general reflection of reality.

What is a more formal alternative to "more or less true"?

In professional or academic writing, you might prefer "largely accurate" or "substantially correct" to convey a similar meaning with more authority.

Can "more or less true" be used in scientific papers?

Yes, it is often used in science to describe hypotheses or models that fit the data reasonably well, as seen in Ludwig examples from sources like "PlosOne".