practically non-existent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "practically non-existent" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is almost non-existent or barely exists at all. It adds emphasis to the idea that something is extremely rare or not present in a significant way. Example: "The funding for the program was practically non-existent, making it impossible to continue its operations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But in practice you probably wouldn't, because monads and other modern functional abstractions are practically non-existent in Python or R — two languages that were not designed for scalability either in regards to SLOC or bytes processed.

TechCrunch

More accurately, they have been practically non-existent.

The Economist

My periods started to be unpredictable - heavy one month, practically non-existent the next.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But, as he later argued, these cases are practically non-existent.

Harvard University

However, design provisions to predict their strength are practically non-existent.

Marine Structures

The AI shown by the in-game characters is, like most Phantasy Star games, practically non-existent.

The Guardian - Tech

"As an Australian in Germany, this is very frustrating – TV coverage of golf is practically non-existent here.

The Guardian - Sport

But he added that chances of the gas cloud "exploding" out to sea were practically non-existent.

The Guardian

However for high speed vehicles, the availability of high temperature damping treatments is practically non-existent.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

The effort utilized in this case was questionable at best and the level of judgment practically non-existent.

Harvard University

Simply hearing hammers and seeing scaffolding — what smiles they bring here in a city where reconstruction is practically non-existent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "practically non-existent" to emphasize the extreme scarcity or near absence of something, rather than a complete absence. This adds nuance to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "practically non-existent" when something is truly and completely absent. Instead, reserve it for situations where a trace or vestige might remain.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practically non-existent" functions as a qualifying adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that it is almost entirely absent. It softens the absolute claim of non-existence, suggesting a minimal presence. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

31%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "practically non-existent" is a grammatically correct and frequently used adjective phrase that conveys the near absence of something. As Ludwig highlights, its strength lies in emphasizing scarcity while allowing for a slight possibility of existence. It's versatile, appearing across various domains, including news, science, and academia. When writing, remember to reserve this expression for situations where something is almost entirely absent rather than completely so, and use alternative phrases such as "virtually absent" or "almost nonexistent" to add variety and nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually absent

Replaces "practically non-existent" with "virtually absent" conveying a similar sense of near absence.

almost nonexistent

A more concise way of saying "practically non-existent".

effectively absent

Highlights the practical outcome of being nearly non-existent, focusing on the effect.

scarcely present

Indicates a very low degree of presence, implying rarity.

barely there

Suggests something is present to such a small degree that it's almost imperceptible.

vanishingly small

Emphasizes the extremely small quantity or impact.

negligible

Highlights that something is so small it can be disregarded.

for all intents and purposes absent

A more formal way of saying something is effectively absent.

as good as nonexistent

Implies that something, for all practical purposes, doesn't exist.

approaching zero

A mathematical way of saying that something is nearly non-existent.

FAQs

How can I use "practically non-existent" in a sentence?

Use "practically non-existent" to describe something that is almost entirely absent or has a minimal presence. For example, "The chance of rain today is "practically non-existent"".

What's a good substitute for "practically non-existent"?

Alternatives include "virtually absent", "almost nonexistent", or "effectively absent". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it more accurate to say "practically non-existent" or "completely absent"?

"Practically non-existent" implies a very small amount remains, whereas "completely absent" indicates nothing is present. Choose the phrase that most accurately reflects the degree of absence.

When is it appropriate to use "practically non-existent" in formal writing?

It's appropriate in formal writing when you need to convey that something is almost entirely absent without stating a complete absence. For instance, "The margin of error in this study is "practically non-existent"".