mostly affirmative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mostly affirmative" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation, response, or attitude that is generally positive or supportive, but not entirely so. Example: "The feedback from the committee was mostly affirmative, indicating that they appreciated the proposal but had a few concerns."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

I have gotten affirmative responses mostly from those individuals with a history of command auditory hallucinations.

Huffington Post

News of the proposal to reinstate affirmative action spread mostly among the Chinese community through social networking sites such as WeChat, a Chinese version of Facebook.

Los Angeles Times

Careful studies of the economic effects of affirmative action have found mostly an upside.

The New York Times

Other acts that the Curiate Assembly voted on were mostly symbolic and usually in the affirmative.

Wikipedia

If the partner, mostly the father, has the capacity for affirmative affective contact, in connection with his/her partner and their child, (s)he helps to create an atmosphere of safety, security and trust for the pregnant women.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Those abominations came later, mostly as a consequence of socialistic manifestations like welfare, affirmative action, and state-sanctioned gay marriage.

Huffington Post

One's affirmative responsibilities are all conditioned by circumstances, and mostly are (conditional) implications of the Golden Rule of doing to or for others what you would wish them to do to or for you.

SEP

Its policies also resulted in discontent among the non-Malays, who mostly supported the opposition parties that favoured reducing or eliminating affirmative action for the Bumiputra in the 1969 general election.

Wikipedia

Is the debate on affirmative action versus race-blind policies mainly about principle, or mostly about preserving narrow group interests?

Los Angeles Times

The report, by New York University, the College Board and a commission of mostly Asian-American educators and community leaders, largely avoids the debates over both affirmative action and the heavy representation of Asian-Americans at the most selective colleges.

The New York Times

The capital markets are not freezing up now, mostly because of what has happened, although community organizers' multidecade push for affirmative-action mortgages has done enormous harm to the credit system.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "mostly affirmative", ensure the context clarifies the extent to which the affirmation is qualified. This helps to avoid ambiguity and ensures that the reader understands the degree of support or agreement being conveyed.

Common error

Avoid using "mostly affirmative" when the response is overwhelmingly positive. Reserve this phrase for situations where there are significant reservations or opposing viewpoints that temper the affirmation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mostly affirmative" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective, indicating the degree or extent to which something is affirmative. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mostly affirmative" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English that signifies general agreement or support with some qualifications. Ludwig AI indicates its appropriateness and provides helpful context. It is commonly used in News & Media, Science, and Wiki contexts, suggesting a neutral register. While "mostly affirmative" is effective for conveying a nuanced stance, it's important to ensure that the degree of affirmation is clear to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "largely positive" or "generally supportive" can be used depending on the specific shade of meaning you wish to convey. Remembering these nuances can help writers use the phrase effectively and avoid common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

largely positive

Replaces "affirmative" with "positive", focusing on the favorable aspect but retaining the sense of a strong overall agreement.

generally supportive

Emphasizes the supportive nature of the response, while "generally" mirrors the partial qualification of "mostly".

predominantly in agreement

Highlights the agreement aspect, suggesting that the majority is in favor, similar to "mostly".

substantially approving

Uses "substantially" to indicate a significant level of approval, close to the meaning of "mostly affirmative".

mainly concurring

Focuses on concurrence, implying that there's a dominant agreement but not necessarily a complete one.

mostly agreeing

Directly uses the verb form of agree to represent the action of agreeing to something for the most part.

largely assenting

Uses "assenting" to convey agreement, with "largely" indicating that it is the predominant response.

generally accepting

Indicates that the response is accepting for the most part, suggesting some reservations might still exist.

chiefly favorable

Emphasizes that the response is mostly favorable, with "chiefly" serving a similar function to "mostly".

primarily endorsing

Highlights the act of endorsing, suggesting that the response is mainly one of support and approval.

FAQs

How can I use "mostly affirmative" in a sentence?

You can use "mostly affirmative" to describe a response or situation that is generally positive or supportive, but not entirely so. For example: "The feedback from the committee was "mostly affirmative", indicating that they appreciated the proposal but had a few concerns."

What are some alternatives to "mostly affirmative"?

Alternatives include phrases like "largely positive", "generally supportive", or "predominantly in agreement", depending on the specific context you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "mostly affirmative"?

Use "mostly affirmative" when you want to acknowledge a generally positive or supportive response while also indicating that there are some reservations, concerns, or dissenting opinions.

Is "mostly affirmative" the same as "completely affirmative"?

No, ""mostly affirmative"" indicates a qualified agreement, whereas "completely affirmative" suggests full and unconditional agreement. They are not interchangeable.