pretty much required

USAGE SUMMARY

"pretty much required" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
It is often used to indicate that something is considered necessary or important. For example, "Attendance at this meeting is pretty much required for all personnel."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

"Vests are pretty much required nowadays so everybody wears a vest.

The Guardian - Sport

The Saturday sleep in is pretty much required after teens go out on Friday night and maybe a Sunday sleep in for a big night Saturday.

Harvard University

The last of those is really the only thing that might be 'tracking' and isn't vital, the others are pretty much required for the website to work.

BBC

To say the course-correction is aggressive is a bit of an understatement, but it's pretty much required for a company that had so many issues when Sacks walked in the door.

TechCrunch

And that pretty much required the United States to start handing over lethal weapons to weird rebels.

Huffington Post

And given that's pretty much required to get a bartending job these days, it's likely you're gonna end up with copious amounts of student debt.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

However, one big problem is when it comes to love, which pretty much requires face-time.

The New York Times

Also, they must be plugged in to work, which pretty much requires them to be stationary.

The New York Times - Tech

"In fact, openness pretty much requires it -- there is no corporate speak here.

The New York Times

ZZ Ward is currently on tour with Delta Rae, and they play Irving Plaza in New York on March 5. George Graham, in his weekly music review, writes, "Durability in the music world, if you're a singer-songwriter, pretty much requires resourcefulness, as well as a deep well of originality".

The New York Times

It would pretty much require the rest of the allotted space here to list the number of eating establishments that have gone to the restaurant graveyard over the decades since the artist died in 1987, and so we will focus instead on one of the rare survivors, Indochine.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pretty much required" when you want to convey that something is not strictly mandatory but is so strongly advised or expected that it is practically essential. For example, "While not explicitly stated, a strong work ethic is "pretty much required" for success in this company".

Common error

Avoid using "pretty much required" in highly formal or academic writing where a more precise and professional tone is expected. Opt for alternatives like "essential", "necessary", or "mandatory" to maintain a higher level of formality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pretty much required" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, indicating a high degree of necessity without being absolutely mandatory. As Ludwig AI explains, it suggests something is strongly advised or practically essential.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "pretty much required" is a useful way to express that something is highly recommended or practically necessary, although not strictly mandatory. As Ludwig AI indicates, the expression is grammatically correct and employed across various domains, including news, media, and general guidance, with neutral register. While versatile, it is more suitable to professional, neutral, or informal contexts and it may benefit from a more accurate alternative when used in academic settings. Therefore, be mindful of your audience and the level of formality required in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually mandatory

Indicates something is so close to being required it's almost the same thing.

almost compulsory

Highlights the near-essential nature of something, close to being formally enforced.

practically obligatory

Emphasizes the strong expectation or need for something, lacking only formal enforcement.

tantamount to necessary

Implies that the requirement is equivalent to a necessity.

effectively essential

Stresses that something is crucial in practice, even if not strictly in theory.

near indispensable

Suggests something is extremely important and difficult to do without.

next to imperative

Implies something is nearly an absolute necessity or command.

as good as requisite

Means that something is almost officially required.

essentially a must

Highlights the high degree of importance and necessity.

in effect, needed

Emphasizes the functional need for something, suggesting it's practically required.

FAQs

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

You can use "pretty much required" to indicate that something is highly recommended or practically necessary, like in the sentence: "Although not formally enforced, wearing safety goggles is "pretty much required" in the lab".

What's a more formal way to say "pretty much required"?

For a more formal tone, you could use phrases like "essentially mandatory", "virtually obligatory", or simply "required". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "pretty much required" and "strictly required"?

Yes, "strictly required" implies a formal rule or absolute necessity, whereas "pretty much required" suggests something is highly advised or expected but might not be formally enforced. For instance, wearing a helmet on a construction site might be "strictly required" by law, while bringing a notebook to a meeting might be "pretty much required" for effective participation.

What can I say instead of "pretty much required" in a casual conversation?

In a casual setting, you could use phrases like "basically needed", "almost a must", or "pretty much essential" to convey a similar meaning without sounding too formal.