pretty much everyone

USAGE SUMMARY

"pretty much everyone" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a more informal way to indicate a large majority of people, and can be used in both conversation and writing. For example: "Pretty much everyone I know loves sushi."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Pretty much everyone in school.

The New York Times

Pretty much everyone.

The Guardian

It's pretty much everyone.

The Guardian - Opinion

By pretty much everyone?

The Guardian

"Pretty much everyone was seasick".

The Guardian

"Pretty much everyone," he said.

The New York Times - Magazine

Pretty much everyone thought he was crazy.

The New York Times

These days, that's pretty much everyone.

The New York Times

That would be pretty much everyone.

The New York Times - Books

"Pretty much everyone starts out mad.

The New York Times - Magazine

Pretty much everyone knew except me.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pretty much everyone" when you want to convey that a statement applies to nearly all people in a given context, but with a slightly informal tone. It acknowledges that there might be exceptions without explicitly stating them.

Common error

Avoid using "pretty much everyone" in highly formal writing or professional reports. Opt for alternatives like "the vast majority" or "nearly all" to maintain a more appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pretty much everyone" functions as a quantifier, indicating a large majority or near-universal agreement or experience. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this expression is considered correct and suitable for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pretty much everyone" is a common and generally acceptable phrase used to indicate that a statement applies to nearly all people in a given context. While Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, it's crucial to consider the context and audience. It is more suitable for neutral to informal settings, such as news articles or casual conversations. In more formal writing, alternatives like "almost everyone" or "the vast majority" may be more appropriate. The phrase's strength lies in its ability to convey a sense of widespread agreement or experience while acknowledging potential exceptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost everyone

Uses "almost" instead of "pretty much", indicating a slight difference in emphasis on the nearness to totality.

nearly everyone

Replaces "pretty much" with "nearly", offering a more formal alternative with the same core meaning.

virtually everyone

Substitutes "pretty much" with "virtually", suggesting a close-to-complete inclusion but with a hint of possible exceptions.

practically everyone

Employs "practically" instead of "pretty much", implying that for all practical purposes, the statement applies to everyone.

almost all people

Uses a slightly more direct and less colloquial phrasing.

the vast majority

Replaces the phrase with a more formal and statistically suggestive expression.

most people

Offers a more general and less emphatic way of saying "pretty much everyone".

a great many people

Rephrases to focus on the large quantity of people, rather than the totality.

the large part of people

Replaces the phrase with a formal expression to denote that most of the people are involved.

by and large, everyone

Adds the introductory phrase "by and large" to soften the statement while retaining the overall meaning.

FAQs

What does "pretty much everyone" mean?

The phrase "pretty much everyone" means almost everyone or nearly everyone. It indicates that a statement applies to most people in a group, with the understanding that there might be a few exceptions.

Is it appropriate to use "pretty much everyone" in formal writing?

While "pretty much everyone" is widely understood, it is considered informal. In formal writing, alternatives like "almost everyone" or "nearly everyone" are more suitable.

What are some alternatives to "pretty much everyone"?

You can use alternatives like "almost everyone", "nearly everyone", "the vast majority", or "most people" depending on the context.

How can I use "pretty much everyone" in a sentence?

You can use "pretty much everyone" to generalize about a group. For example: "Pretty much everyone I know enjoys watching movies".