nearly doubled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "nearly doubled" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where a quantity has increased significantly, approaching twice its original amount. Example: "The company's profits nearly doubled in the last quarter, indicating strong growth."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

… nearly doubled.

The New York Times

In Turkey, they nearly doubled.

The Economist

Daily vegetable intake nearly doubled.

Harvard University

The population has nearly doubled since 2000.

The New York Times

Charity cases and bad debts nearly doubled.

The Economist

That figure has nearly doubled since 1980.

The New York Times

Bad-loan provisions nearly doubled.

The New York Times

Nintendo's stock has nearly doubled.

The Guardian - Tech

Fuel prices have nearly doubled.

The Washington Post

From 1940 to 1960, New Mexico's population nearly doubled.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

During that same time, incarceration nearly doubled.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "nearly doubled", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being measured and over what period the increase occurred for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "nearly doubled" when the increase is significantly less than double. If the increase is closer to 50% than 100%, opt for less emphatic terms like "increased by half" or "increased by approximately 50%".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly doubled" functions as a quantitative descriptor, modifying a noun to indicate a significant increase approaching but not fully reaching twice the original amount. Ludwig shows this usage is common across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

30%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "nearly doubled" is a versatile phrase used to describe a significant increase that closely approaches a full doubling. As Ludwig AI indicates, its usage is grammatically correct and common across various sources, particularly in news, science, and academic contexts. While "nearly doubled" effectively conveys substantial growth, it's essential to ensure the increase is genuinely close to doubling to avoid misrepresentation. Alternatives like "almost doubled" or "increased significantly" can offer similar meaning with slight variations in emphasis. Being mindful of these nuances ensures precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost doubled

Indicates that the increase was very close to being exactly twice the original amount.

practically doubled

Similar to "almost doubled", conveying that the value is negligibly different than doubled.

virtually doubled

Emphasizes that for all practical purposes, the increase is equivalent to doubling.

close to doubling

Suggests the increase approached doubling but might be slightly less.

increased twofold

Describes the change from the perspective of initial value being doubled, and it can eventually indicate an approximation.

more than 90% increase

Quantifies the increase, providing a specific percentage range that closely approximates doubling.

increased significantly

Similar to "increased substantially" but places more emphasis on importance.

increased substantially

Implies a significant rise without specifying the exact magnitude, less precise than the original.

rose sharply

Highlights the rapid increase, focusing more on the rate of change.

expanded considerably

Suggests a large growth, but more suitable in situations when something can be physically expanded.

FAQs

How can I use "nearly doubled" in a sentence?

You can use "nearly doubled" to describe an amount that has increased close to twice its original size. For example, "The company's revenue "nearly doubled" after the new marketing campaign".

What's a more formal way to say "nearly doubled"?

In a formal context, you might use phrases like "almost doubled", "increased substantially", or "approached a twofold increase".

What's the difference between "nearly doubled" and "more than doubled"?

"Nearly doubled" means the amount is close to, but not quite, twice the original. "More than doubled" means the amount is greater than twice the original. So, "nearly doubled" implies something less than 200%, while "more than doubled" implies something greater than 200%.

Are there any situations where using "nearly doubled" would be inappropriate?

Yes, it would be inappropriate if the actual increase was significantly less than double. It's best to use "nearly doubled" when the increase is at least around 80-90% of the original amount. If the increase is minimal or moderate, other expressions like "slightly increased" or "moderately grew" would be more accurate.