practically absent

USAGE SUMMARY

"practically absent" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used as an alternative to "virtually absent" or "almost absent." Example: The resources for this project were practically absent, making it difficult for us to complete it on time.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were also concentrated in Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield Counties, and practically absent from Litchfield and Windham Counties.

The New York Times

Mr. Marshall's lawyers paused at this point to zero in on a moment of Marshall largesse, heretofore practically absent in the courtroom.

The New York Times

However, this may not be sufficient, as the formation of long-standing kelo trees might be partially related to the occurrence of surface fires, which were historically common but now practically absent from pine dominated landscapes in Fennoscandia (Wallenius 2011).

Forest Ecosystems

Other protein clusters were either enriched in Saccharomycotina, or practically absent.

BMC Genomics

By contrast, they were practically absent from surgery, orthopaedics, stomatology and otorhinolaryngology (Additional file 1: Table S3 in the statistical annex).

Human Resources for Health

During the encoding phase, BOLD activity was practically absent in the first runs of practice in both regions (3a, 3b; red lines).

Plosone

For the morning sector, these low values are practically absent.

Earth, Planets and Space

VAP-1 is practically absent from the endothelial surface of normal tissues [17],[17].

EJNMMI Research

All carbons have nanopores and narrow mesopores; broad mesopores and macropores are practically absent.

Nanoscale Research Letters

In the animals with cell therapy, the wounds were practically absent.

Nanoscale Research Letters

All these forms of cobalt were practically absent from CoFER-2 and InCoFER-2.

Catalysis Today

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically absent" to emphasize that something is so close to being absent that it has minimal or no effect in a given situation.

Common error

Avoid using "practically absent" when something is completely absent. "Practically absent" suggests a near-zero presence, not a complete absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically absent" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a state of near absence. This implies that while something may technically exist, its presence is so minimal that it has little to no practical effect. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is valid and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

76%

News & Media

10%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "practically absent" is a grammatically correct and widely used adjectival phrase that indicates something is nearly non-existent or has a negligible presence. According to Ludwig, it is often used as an alternative to "virtually absent" or "almost absent". Its primary function is to emphasize the insignificance of something due to its minimal presence, and it is frequently found in scientific and formal contexts. While versatile, it is important to use it accurately, ensuring the subject truly has a near-zero presence rather than being completely absent. This analysis leverages numerous real-world examples to provide comprehensive guidance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually nonexistent

Emphasizes the state of non-existence to a greater degree.

almost nonexistent

Highlights that something is nearing a state of non-existence.

nearly absent

Similar to "practically absent" but with a slightly different nuance.

effectively missing

Focuses on the impact of absence in a practical sense.

scarcely present

Suggests something exists but only in a very small amount or degree.

essentially lacking

Emphasizes the fundamental absence of something.

for all practical purposes, missing

A more formal way of saying "practically absent", stressing the practical implications.

as good as absent

Implies the effect of absence is the same as actual absence.

tantamount to being absent

Indicates something is so close to being absent that it's almost the same.

barely detectable

Highlights the difficulty in noticing or finding something due to its near absence.

FAQs

How can I use "practically absent" in a sentence?

Use "practically absent" to describe something that is nearly non-existent or has a negligible presence. For example, "Resources were "practically absent", making progress difficult."

What is a good alternative to "practically absent"?

Alternatives include "virtually nonexistent", "almost nonexistent", or "nearly absent", each carrying a similar but slightly different connotation.

Is there a difference between "practically absent" and "completely absent"?

Yes, "practically absent" implies a very small presence, while "completely absent" means there is no presence at all. The former suggests negligible impact, whereas the latter indicates total absence.

When is it appropriate to use "practically absent" instead of "almost absent"?

"Practically absent" is best used when the nearly absent thing has little to no bearing on the outcome. "Almost absent" is a more general term for something that is close to being gone.