practically immediate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically immediate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs almost instantly or very quickly, though not necessarily at the exact moment. Example: "The response from customer service was practically immediate, allowing us to resolve the issue without delay."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Savings on natural gas are practically immediate.

The Guardian

(a) is practically immediate, and for (b) it is easy to verify that Qrel always satisfies CONSERV and EXT when Q is of type <1>.

SEP

This is presumably because our flies were exposed to practically immediate and complete hypoxia, rather than being subjected to prolonged first-order dilution washout in a container flushed with nitrogen.

Plosone

Since the cells are continuously diluted, and dilution rate remains fixed throughout the experiment, any change in growth rate will be reflected practically immediate by a change in the optical density.

Plosone

Recently, it has been demonstrated that the interplay between insulin sensitivity, triglyceride levels, and androgens is practically immediate, as it occurs within a week, and is not facilitated by changes in body composition alone.

European Journal of Endocrinology

Where exactly tissue resident macrophages fall in this description is still not clarified but since their reaction to any change in the tissue microenvironment is practically immediate, they will be functionally different depending on the tissue conditions - inflammation being a violent and massive kind of change in the tissue microenvironment.

F1000Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

– to stunning effect, baffling, disturbing and delighting in turn, practically guaranteeing an immediate reread once her terrifying, wonderful conclusion is reached.

The Guardian - Books

Practically speaking, the most immediate change will be the establishment of a US embassy in Havana, and a re-initiation of diplomatic talks between the US State Department and Cuban officials.

Vice

Avery received an extra 2 minutes for instigation and a 10-minute misconduct, but he acted according to the game's unwritten code, which calls for immediate payback for practically any perceived transgression.

The New York Times - Sports

After all, isn't anyone who yells at a comedian practically asking to become an immediate target?

Huffington Post

They stand there, these stiff-shouldered fun-suckers, radiating a glowering glow, practically daring anyone in their immediate vicinity to enjoy themselves.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically immediate" to describe results or effects that occur with minimal delay, but not necessarily at the exact moment. For instance, the effects of a fast-acting medication might be described as "practically immediate."

Common error

Avoid using "practically immediate" when describing something that is absolutely instantaneous. It suggests a very slight delay, so it's not appropriate for events that happen at the exact same moment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically immediate" functions as an adverbial modifier to an adjective. It serves to qualify or intensify the adjective "immediate", indicating a state that is very close to being immediate without being perfectly so. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrasing is considered correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

57%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "practically immediate" is a grammatically correct and relatively common expression used to describe something that occurs almost instantly. According to Ludwig AI, its use is acceptable in written English. It's prevalent in both scientific and news contexts, indicating a near-instantaneous occurrence, but with the subtle implication of a very slight delay. While synonyms like "virtually instantaneous" or "almost immediate" exist, "practically immediate" offers a unique emphasis on the speed and promptness of the event being described. Remember to use it when conveying swiftness without implying absolute simultaneity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually instantaneous

Replaces "practically" with "virtually" and "immediate" with "instantaneous", both synonyms conveying a sense of nearness to being fully instant.

almost instantaneous

Substitutes "practically" with "almost", focusing on the near-instant nature of the event.

nearly instantaneous

Similar to "almost instantaneous", but using "nearly" to emphasize the approximation to instantaneity.

effectively immediate

Uses "effectively" to suggest the impact or result is immediate, even if the process has some minimal delay.

substantially immediate

Implies the effect is immediate to a substantial degree, even if not perfectly so.

for all intents and purposes immediate

A more formal way of saying something is effectively immediate, even if it isn't technically completely instant.

just about immediate

A slightly more informal alternative that emphasizes the small amount of delay.

tantamount to immediate

Expresses that the result is equivalent to being immediate.

as good as immediate

Suggests the effect is virtually the same as being immediate.

close to immediate

Highlights the proximity to instantaneity, implying that any delay is very short.

FAQs

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

You can use "practically immediate" to describe actions or reactions that happen almost instantly. For example, "The response was practically immediate after I sent the email."

What's a synonym for "practically immediate"?

Alternatives to "practically immediate" include "almost instantaneous", "nearly immediate", or "virtually instantaneous".

Is "practically immediate" the same as "immediate"?

While similar, "practically immediate" implies a very slight delay, whereas "immediate" suggests no delay at all. The choice depends on the context and the level of precision required.

When is it appropriate to use "practically immediate" instead of "immediate"?

Use "practically immediate" when the action or response is extremely fast but not perfectly simultaneous. This nuance can be helpful when describing processes with minimal latency.