nearly simultaneous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "nearly simultaneous" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe events or actions that occur at almost the same time but not exactly. Example: "The two explosions were nearly simultaneous, creating a shockwave that rattled the nearby buildings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Two nearly simultaneous confrontations with oddly different forces have resulted.

The New Yorker

They had expected the two phenomena to be nearly simultaneous.

The New York Times - Science

She shakes her head at the paradox of her nearly simultaneous recognition and rejection.

The New York Times - Magazine

The nearly simultaneous blasts killed more than 200 people and injured thousands.

The New York Times

The bombing and another nearly simultaneous attack on the American Embassy in Kenya killed 224 people.

The New York Times

ON OCTOBER 5th American special forces launched two nearly simultaneous raids in Libya and Somalia.

The Economist

First, there were two nearly simultaneous blasts at Iraqi police stations in the Baghdad neighborhoods of Dora and Baya.

The New York Times

He seemed to believed that two nearly simultaneous peace deals could create enough momentum to overwhelm domestic opposition.

The New York Times

It was nearly simultaneous with the bombing of the American Embassy in Tanzania, which killed 11 more.

The New York Times

Mr. Noordin was thought to have masterminded the bombing, together with a nearly simultaneous blast at the JW Marriott hotel.

The New York Times

Just after midnight on Thursday, Boies Schiller and Cline's legal team filed nearly simultaneous lawsuits against one another.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing events that happened very close in time but not exactly at the same instant, use "nearly simultaneous" to convey a high degree of temporal proximity without implying perfect synchronicity.

Common error

Avoid using "simultaneous" when events are not truly concurrent. Using "nearly simultaneous" provides a more accurate and nuanced description, preventing potential misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nearly simultaneous" functions as a pre-modifying adjective to describe nouns, indicating that events or actions occurred at approximately the same time. This is evident in examples where it modifies "blasts", "raids", and "attacks", specifying the timing of these events. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Science

19%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "nearly simultaneous" is a versatile adjective phrase used to describe events occurring close in time, but not exactly at the same moment. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage, particularly in news reports and scientific contexts. While "simultaneous" implies perfect synchronicity, "nearly simultaneous" adds a nuance of approximation, making it a more accurate descriptor in many situations. Related phrases include "almost simultaneous" and "virtually simultaneous", providing alternative ways to express temporal proximity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost simultaneous

Replaces "nearly" with "almost", slightly reducing the emphasis on the approximation of simultaneity.

virtually simultaneous

Uses "virtually" to convey that the events are so close in time that they can be considered simultaneous for all practical purposes.

practically simultaneous

Similar to "virtually simultaneous", highlighting that the events are simultaneous in effect, if not perfectly so.

close to simultaneous

A more descriptive alternative that directly expresses the proximity in time.

almost concurrent

Replaces "simultaneous" with "concurrent", indicating events happening at the same time or point.

substantially simultaneous

Emphasizes that the events are largely, but not necessarily perfectly, simultaneous.

in quick succession

Focuses on the rapid sequence of events rather than their exact simultaneity.

in rapid sequence

Similar to "in quick succession", highlighting the speed at which the events occur.

hardly distinguishable in time

Highlights the difficulty in discerning any time difference between the events.

occurring in close proximity of time

A more formal way of expressing that the events happened very close to each other in time.

FAQs

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

You can use "nearly simultaneous" to describe events that occur close together in time. For example, "The two explosions were "nearly simultaneous", suggesting a coordinated attack."

What's the difference between "nearly simultaneous" and "simultaneous"?

"Nearly simultaneous" implies that events occurred close together in time but not exactly at the same moment. "Simultaneous" means the events happened at precisely the same time. Using "nearly" adds a nuance of approximation.

What can I say instead of "nearly simultaneous"?

You can use alternatives like "almost simultaneous", "virtually simultaneous", or "in quick succession" depending on the desired level of precision.

Is it ever wrong to use "nearly simultaneous"?

While grammatically correct, "nearly simultaneous" should not be used if the events are known to be perfectly synchronized. In such cases, "simultaneous" is more appropriate. However, "nearly simultaneous" provides more accuracy when the events are close together but not confirmed as exactly concurrent.