practically asked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically asked" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has made a request or inquiry that is very close to being an outright question, but may not be phrased as a direct question. Example: "During the meeting, she practically asked if we could extend the deadline without actually saying it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

We are practically asked to follow suit.

The New Yorker

Carlyle was so incensed when a tabloid tracked down his mother (whom he hadn't seen since he was four), that he practically asked the entire British media 'outside'outside

The Guardian - Film

He made such a goofy production of trying to light the fuses hanging off his shoe that he practically asked the flight attendant if she had a match.

The Economist

The animal's link with man is ingrained in the culture — the Lone Ranger could tell Silver to go get help, and the horse practically asked for names and numbers; Mr. Ed was certainly smarter than the human sweeping out his stall.

The New York Times

Om Malik sees things differently and thinks Photobucket practically asked for this blockade (although see his more recent take).

TechCrunch

Ever the film director, Waters practically asked him to read his lines again.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"We're getting phone calls every other minute, practically, asking us if the course is O.K.," said Jeff Zeilenga, the club's tournament director.

The New York Times

Rather it would do a bit of crystal-ball gazing about the future of the whole subject and, more practically, ask how it could continue to do its job as a benefactor of mankind.

The Economist

The audience walked into an atrium that had a mirror with "who is the fairest of them all?" written on it, and a huge pumpkin practically asking for a cameo on Snapchat.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"With so many products practically asking for games, why is there such a holdup?

TechCrunch

Shortly after the attack, people were practically asking if World War Three was under way.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically asked" to convey that a question or request was heavily implied, but not directly stated. This can add nuance and subtlety to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "practically asked" when a direct question was indeed posed. This phrase is best suited for situations where the inquiry remains unspoken, yet is strongly suggested by the context or actions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically asked" functions as a qualifier to the verb 'asked', indicating the manner in which the asking occurred. It suggests the asking was implied, near, or almost a direct question. Ludwig's examples support this as well.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "practically asked" serves as a nuanced way to indicate that a question or request was strongly implied without being explicitly stated. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and primarily found in News & Media contexts. This phrase is helpful when wanting to convey indirectness or subtlety in communication, suggesting that an inquiry was just short of being directly voiced. Though "practically asked" is acceptable English, it's still not extremely frequent in writing, so be mindful about the potential of other more direct options, as well as other indirect alternatives (e.g., "virtually requested") for achieving similar communicative goals.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually requested

Replaces "practically" with "virtually", emphasizing the near-complete nature of the request.

all but asked

Highlights that only the explicit asking was missing.

nearly inquired

Similar to "practically asked", but uses "inquired" to emphasize the informational aspect.

effectively asked

Focuses on the outcome; the result was the same as if a direct question was posed.

almost demanded

Suggests a higher degree of insistence than "asked", implying a strong expectation.

in effect requested

Stresses the real-world impact of the implicit request.

tantamount to asking

Emphasizes that the action was equivalent to asking, even if not explicitly.

implied a question

Focuses on the indirect nature of the inquiry, highlighting that it wasn't a direct question.

functionally requested

Highlights the function of the communication, which served the purpose of a request.

as good as requested

Indicates that the situation was functionally the same as if a request had been made.

FAQs

What does "practically asked" mean?

It means someone heavily implied a question or request without explicitly stating it. It suggests the implication was so strong, it was almost a direct question.

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

For example: "During the presentation, he "practically asked" for more time, hinting at his workload without directly requesting an extension."

What are some alternatives to "practically asked"?

You could use phrases like "virtually requested", "almost demanded", or "implied a question" depending on the context and the degree of implication.

Is it better to use "practically asked" or just "asked"?

Use "practically asked" when the question wasn't directly stated, but strongly implied. If a question was directly posed, "asked" is more accurate. The subtle difference lies in the explicitness of the inquiry.