pretty much better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pretty much better" is not correct and is generally not usable in written English.
It is a contradictory expression, as "pretty much" implies a degree of uncertainty or approximation, while "better" suggests a definitive improvement. Example: "This new model is pretty much better than the old one."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

I felt pretty much better than I ever dreamed of expecting to feel," Williams said of her ankle.

The New York Times - Sports

"Things are pretty much better around here," said Eladio Soto, a landscaper, who is among the unemployed fathers who has found work again.

The New York Times

"Across the board, everything was pretty much better than we were looking for," said Arthur Hatfield, an analyst at Morgan Keegan & Company.

The New York Times

Molchanova, who held the record for breath holding (nine minutes and two seconds), excelled at this, but she was pretty much better than everyone else at nearly all the tasks.

The New Yorker

"What these toxins do pretty much better than anything else is plug these holes with incredible specificity," said Dr. Aaron S. Bernstein, an author of the letter and a visiting researcher at the Harvard center.

The New York Times - Science

Scott Mullen, director at the comparison service My Pension Expert, said that because these schemes often come with additional benefits, such as inflation-proofing and a spouse's pension, they are considered gold-plated and pretty much better than any other retirement scheme or pension plan going.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The best summary is that learning is pretty much always better earlier in life!

Princeton University

My knees pretty much got better," and his sleep apnea vanished.

The Washington Post

CDs, and digital-to-audio converters, reproduce pretty much everything better than vinyl.

The Guardian - Tech

Having conquered the Internet, Google's executives tend to believe that they can do pretty much everything better than everybody else — even day care.

The New York Times

Plus, there's pretty much no better way to make friends than to ask strangers if you can look really closely at their skin.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity and precision, consider alternatives like "significantly better" or "much better" to avoid the ambiguity introduced by "pretty much."

Common error

Avoid using "pretty much" as a hedge when a more direct and confident statement of improvement is appropriate. Saying something is "better" already implies improvement, so adding "pretty much" can weaken the statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pretty much better" functions as an adverbial modifier intended to qualify the adjective "better". It attempts to soften or approximate the degree of improvement. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, this construction can create ambiguity and is generally considered grammatically questionable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pretty much better" is an attempt to express a qualified improvement, but Ludwig AI points out that it often results in ambiguity and grammatical awkwardness. While the phrase appears in a variety of sources, ranging from news articles to academic papers, more precise alternatives like "significantly better", "considerably better", or "noticeably better" are generally preferred. When communicating in formal or professional settings, opt for clarity and avoid the imprecision introduced by "pretty much". In summary, while understandable, "pretty much better" is not the most effective choice for expressing improvement in clear, concise English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly better

Emphasizes a noticeable and substantial improvement.

considerably better

Highlights a significant degree of improvement or advantage.

substantially better

Indicates a large amount or degree of improvement.

noticeably better

Focuses on the ease with which the improvement can be observed.

markedly better

Suggests a clearly defined and distinct improvement.

appreciably better

Implies a level of improvement that is easily perceived or valued.

distinctly better

Highlights the clear and unambiguous nature of the improvement.

demonstrably better

Indicates that the improvement can be clearly shown or proven.

measurably better

Suggests that the improvement can be quantified or assessed objectively.

visibly better

Focuses on the readily apparent nature of the improvement.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "pretty much better" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, use phrases like "significantly better", "considerably better", or "substantially better" which offer a clearer and more impactful declaration of improvement.

Is it grammatically correct to say "pretty much better"?

While sometimes used in informal contexts, "pretty much better" is often considered grammatically awkward. It's better to opt for stronger and more direct alternatives.

What's a simple substitute for "pretty much better" in everyday conversation?

In casual conversation, you can use "much better" or "noticeably better" for a clearer and more natural expression.

When is it appropriate to use "pretty much better"?

Given its ambiguous nature, it's generally advisable to use more descriptive terms. Consider the specific context and select a phrase that accurately conveys the level of improvement, such as "distinctly better" or "visibly better".