practically every year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically every year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs almost every year, suggesting a high frequency but allowing for some exceptions. Example: "We go on a family vacation practically every year, exploring new destinations together."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

This happens practically every year with the Knicks, but it still bears mentioning.

The New Yorker

"Back then, swings like we've seen recently occurred practically every year".

The New York Times

"Practically every year since 1865 has been a bad year for beef," he said, only somewhat in jest.

The New York Times

Practically every year, the summiteers would dutifully commit themselves to securing peace in the Middle East, fighting corruption, and confronting climate change.

The New Yorker

Or read this article in Mother Jones, about how Mr. Paul introduces a bill practically every year that would prevent the courts from issuing opinions on "any claim based upon the right of privacy, including any such claim related to any issue of sexual practices, orientation, or reproduction".

The New York Times

After growing in size practically every year since E3 returned to Los Angeles in 1999, the show underwent its most radical change yet.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

One statistic explains much about the allure of a place where residents were required to flee practically every other year: Its median home value in 2017 was $200,900, extraordinarily low in a state that routinely shocks outsiders with its overpriced real estate.

Los Angeles Times

"I've been here every year practically since its inception," said Iman, who is prone to exaggeration.

The New York Times

One moment there was a bagel shop two doors away from my building, a place where I went practically every day for years and where Linda used to pack up my order and inquire about my poodle.

The New York Times

When it became clear that this would require the Sadler's Wells company to tour for 30 weeks every year, and practically destroy its presence on the London opera scene, Tucker, his deputy Stephen Arlen, and his musical director Alexander Gibson resigned.

Wikipedia

In the coming year, practically every high school baseball player in the country will be buying a new bat, and Rawlings wants a piece of the rapidly growing GameChanger audience.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "practically every year", ensure the context clearly indicates what event or situation is being referenced and why its frequency is notable. This avoids ambiguity and enhances clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "practically every year" when you mean "every year." The word "practically" indicates that there are exceptions. If there are no exceptions, using the simpler phrase "every year" will be more accurate and direct.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically every year" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the frequency or regularity of an event. It modifies a verb or clause to specify how often something occurs, suggesting a high degree of recurrence with a caveat for occasional exceptions, as Ludwig examples show.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "practically every year" is a grammatically sound and useful expression to convey that something occurs almost every year, allowing for occasional exceptions. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is usable in written English and appears mostly in News & Media sources. While it is suitable for formal writing, one must avoid overstating the certainty of an event by using the simpler phrase "every year" when no exceptions exist. Alternatives such as "almost every year" and "nearly every year" can be used to express a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost every year

This alternative suggests a near-certain annual occurrence, similar to the original phrase, but with slightly less emphasis on the exceptions.

nearly every year

This option conveys the same meaning as the original phrase, implying that something happens close to every year with few exceptions.

virtually every year

This emphasizes the high likelihood of something happening each year, nearly without fail.

almost yearly

A concise variation that suggests a near-annual event.

on an almost annual basis

This phrase provides a more formal and descriptive way of expressing the same idea.

close to every year

Emphasizes proximity to an annual event but is slightly less formal.

pretty much every year

Adds a touch of informality while retaining the core meaning.

regularly each year

Highlights the consistent and predictable nature of the annual event.

in the majority of years

Focuses on the numerous years in which something occurs, rather than the annual aspect.

year after year with few exceptions

Expands on the concept to explicitly state the repetition and infrequent exceptions.

FAQs

What does "practically every year" mean?

The phrase "practically every year" means that something happens almost every year, implying a high frequency but allowing for some exceptions or slight variations.

What are some alternatives to "practically every year"?

You can use alternatives like "almost every year", "nearly every year", or "virtually every year" to convey a similar meaning, depending on the nuance you want to express.

Is it correct to use "practically every year" in formal writing?

Yes, "practically every year" is appropriate for formal writing as long as it accurately reflects the frequency of the event being described. Ensure that the context supports the implication of occasional exceptions.

How does "practically every year" differ from "every year"?

While "every year" suggests an event occurs without fail, "practically every year" implies that the event happens in most years, with a few possible exceptions. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize consistency or acknowledge potential deviations.