primarily false

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primarily false" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is mostly or mainly untrue or incorrect. Example: "The claim made in the article is primarily false, as it lacks credible evidence to support its assertions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

However, its specificity remains limited due to primarily false positive results induced by hyperplasia, metaplasia and inflammation.

Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

All of the above authors have recognized the potential adverse effects of ultrasound screening, primarily false positive findings, some of which have led to invasive surgeries.

Genetics in Medicine

More recent work by Hermann et al 21 has shown that in young low-risk chest pain patients without a history of cocaine use, positive non-invasive cardiac tests are primarily false positives and that there is no role for non-invasive testing in such a population.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that the identified vim1 vim2 and vim3-specific and met1-specific transcripts are primarily false-positive results.

Epigenetics

It is unlikely that the non-overlapping signatures is a result primarily of false positives or random genetic drift as many of the genes induced and repressed in both cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) have been previously described as TGF-β targets in a variety of systems.

Breast Cancer Research

"Power viewed in state terms alone, or even primarily, is a false premise these days".

The New York Times

False Alarms Drop Q.: In the mid 1990's the city began removing street-corner fire-alarm boxes, arguing that they were used primarily to send false alarms.

The New York Times

Spatial congruence between "true" and "estimated" hotspots declined rapidly with increasing time interval between surveys, due primarily to increasing false negatives (i.e., missing "true" hotspots).

Journal of Environmental Management

However, the discordance was primarily due to false negatives, and may be due in part to limitations of the survey questions, rather than participant's recall of events.

Health & Justice

This was caused primarily by the false silos created by academic departments on campus.

Huffington Post

Low's tactics consisted primarily of hoisting false colours and approaching an unsuspecting vessel.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "primarily false", ensure the context clarifies whether you mean 'mostly false' or 'false in its primary aspect'. Be precise to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "primarily false" when the statement is entirely untrue. Reserve it for situations where there's a mix of truth and falsehood, with the latter being dominant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primarily false" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun or noun phrase. It indicates the extent to which something is untrue, suggesting it is mostly, but not entirely, false. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "primarily false" serves as an adverb-adjective combination, signifying that something is mostly untrue but not completely so. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. Although it is a fairly rare phrase, it appears in both scientific and journalistic contexts, maintaining a relatively neutral tone. When using "primarily false", be precise about the degree of falsehood you are conveying. Consider alternatives such as "mostly untrue" or "largely incorrect" to enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mostly untrue

Focuses on the degree of truthfulness, indicating that the statement is more false than true.

largely incorrect

Emphasizes the inaccuracy of the information, suggesting significant errors.

mainly inaccurate

Highlights that the primary component of the statement is not accurate.

substantially flawed

Indicates significant defects or shortcomings in the statement or argument.

predominantly erroneous

A more formal way of saying mostly wrong, stressing the presence of errors.

chiefly fallacious

Suggests that the statement's main problem is its reliance on logical fallacies.

essentially wrong

Conveys that the fundamental nature of the statement is incorrect.

in the main, false

Uses a more idiomatic expression to denote that the overall impression is false.

mostly a lie

More directly accuses the statement of being deceptive.

fundamentally untrue

Stresses that the core principles of the statement are not true.

FAQs

How can I use "primarily false" in a sentence?

You can use "primarily false" to describe a statement or claim that is mostly untrue, such as, "The information presented in the advertisement was "primarily false" and misleading to consumers".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "primarily false"?

Some alternatives to "primarily false" include "mostly untrue", "largely incorrect", or "mainly inaccurate". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "primarily false" or "completely false"?

"Primarily false" suggests that while the information is mostly untrue, there might be some elements of truth. "Completely false" indicates that there is no truth to the statement whatsoever. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the degree of falsehood.

What's the difference between "primarily false" and "misleading"?

"Primarily false" means that the information is mostly incorrect. "Misleading", on the other hand, suggests that the information may be technically correct but presented in a way that leads to a false conclusion. For example, a statement could be factual but still "deliberately misleading".