receive about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "receive about" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express an approximate amount or quantity of something being received, but it lacks clarity. Example: "I expect to receive about 100 responses to the survey."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Texas' navigators will receive about $8 million.

The New York Times

The lawyers will receive about $2.9 million.

The New York Times

They receive about $300 a month.

The New York Times

Farmers receive about $65 of that.

The New York Times

They can expect to receive about $340,000 in benefits.

The New York Times

She said users receive about two texts a month.

The New York Times - Arts

We all receive about 360 millirem per year".

The New York Times

Masataka Shimizu, the company's president, said individuals would receive about $9,000 and larger households would receive about $12,000.

The New York Times

They receive about 2.5 million visitors a year.

The Guardian

They are scheduled to receive about $8 million.

The New York Times - Sports

Vivendi will receive about $5.8 billion for its stake.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating an approximation, replace "about" with "approximately" or "roughly" for clarity and grammatical correctness. For example, instead of "They receive about $100", write "They receive approximately $100".

Common error

Be careful when using "about" to mean "approximately". While common in spoken language, it can be vague in writing. Ensure the context makes your intended meaning clear or choose a more precise word like "approximately", "around", or "roughly".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "receive about" functions as a verb phrase intended to express the act of getting something with an approximate quantity. Although widely used, Ludwig AI marks it as grammatically incorrect, suggesting that more precise alternatives should be preferred.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "receive about" is a frequently used phrase to indicate an approximate amount received, it is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. This suggests that while the phrase is common, particularly in news and media, it is better to use more precise and grammatically correct alternatives such as "receive approximately", "receive roughly", or other similar expressions to avoid ambiguity and ensure clarity in writing. The high frequency of the phrase in news sources indicates its common usage, but writers should still consider the grammatical implications and opt for better alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

receive approximately

Replaces "about" with a more grammatically standard adverb indicating approximation.

receive close to

Indicates the amount received is near a specific value.

be given roughly

Uses "roughly" instead of "about" to express approximation.

receive in the neighborhood of

Uses a more idiomatic expression to indicate an approximate quantity.

receive in the vicinity of

Uses a more formal expression than "about" to indicate approximation.

receive something like

Employs a colloquial phrase to denote an estimated amount.

receive something near

Uses a different word order to communicate receiving a similar quantity.

receive or so

Adds a casual qualifier to suggest an approximate number.

receive in the ballpark of

Uses an informal phrase to describe an approximate range.

receive almost

Indicates that the amount is slightly less than the stated quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "receive about" correctly in a sentence?

While "receive about" is frequently used to indicate approximation, it's grammatically incorrect. Consider using phrases like "receive approximately", "receive roughly", or "receive close to" for better clarity and grammatical accuracy.

What is a more formal way to say "receive about"?

For formal contexts, use phrases like "receive approximately", "receive in the vicinity of", or "receive in the neighborhood of" instead of "receive about".

Is it better to use "receive approximately" or "receive about"?

"Receive approximately" is preferred because it's grammatically correct and clearly indicates an estimated quantity. "Receive about" is grammatically incorrect and less precise.

What are some common alternatives to "receive about"?

Common alternatives include "receive roughly", "receive nearly", "receive around", and "receive something like", depending on the level of formality and desired precision.