roughly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximation or an estimate, often in terms of quantity, time, or degree. Example: "The project will take roughly three weeks to complete."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Maude told Newsnight on BBC2: "The Conservative party divided roughly like the country does.

The Guardian

Today, roughly 3 million of Somalia's 7 million people are short of food.

The Guardian - Opinion

Algeria left the forerunner of the EEC when it became independent in 1962; the 56,000 residents of Greenland departed in 1985; the French Caribbean colony of Saint Barthelemy (which, with nearly 10,000 inhabitants, has as roughly the same population as Glastonbury, in Somerset) formally exited the EU in 2012.

The Guardian

A Minnesota national guardsman faces federal fraud charges in connection with the theft of names, social security numbers and security clearance levels of roughly 400 members of his former army unit in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The Guardian

The service charge would be split among servers and cooks, which would give servers roughly the same income if they also get a 5% tip, but would mainly help to boost the cooks' pay to closer to $20, he said.

The Guardian - Business

In Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole, roughly 11% was awarded to local organisations compared with Africa (10%), Asia (11%) and the Middle East (3%).

The Guardian

Hospitalisation rates at St Martin's are set at about CFA 3,000 (£3.44) a day, while costs at Central hospital are roughly CFA 5,000, for example.

The Guardian

Uganda is home to roughly half the world's 700 or so mountain gorillas, and this new group tour for older families should see you locking eyes with at least one.

The Guardian - Travel

Blockbuster has roughly 3,500 remaining stores in the US, making it the country's last major DVD franchise – the rival chain Hollywood Video collapsed earlier this year.

The Guardian - Business

He had roughly the same effect on the room that black holes are said to have on their surrounding star fields.

The Guardian - Film

Armenia is the poorest country in the Caucasus, with roughly a third of the population living at or below the poverty line.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add a sense of precision to your writing, consider specifying the margin of error, such as "roughly 10%".

Common error

Avoid using "roughly" when a precise figure is available or necessary. Using approximations when accuracy is crucial can undermine credibility.

Linguistic Context

The adverb "roughly" functions primarily as a modifier, indicating that a statement or value is approximate rather than precise. It adds a degree of imprecision to the information being conveyed. Ludwig AI validates this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "roughly" is a versatile adverb used to indicate approximation or estimation. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It appears frequently in "news & media", "formal & business" and "science" contexts, serving the purpose of providing an imprecise value or detail. While "roughly" is generally safe to use, avoid it when precision is paramount. Alternatives include "approximately", "about", and "around". Remember to consider the level of precision required for your specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately

Indicates a close but not exact amount or degree.

about

A less formal way to express an approximate quantity or time.

around

Similar to 'about', indicating a near or approximate value.

nearly

Indicates something is close to being the case.

almost

Indicates something is not quite completely the case, but very close.

in the vicinity of

More formal, indicating a general area or amount.

in the neighborhood of

Similar to 'in the vicinity of', but can also refer to amounts.

give or take

Expresses an approximate figure with a margin of error.

or so

A simple and informal way to indicate an approximation.

more or less

Indicates a general approximation, allowing for some variation.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "roughly"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately", "about", or "around" depending on the context.

How do you use "roughly" in a sentence?

The word "roughly" is used to indicate an approximation or estimate. For example: "The project will take roughly three weeks to complete."

Which is correct, "roughly equal" or "rough equal"?

"Roughly equal" is the correct phrase. The adverb "roughly" modifies the adjective "equal".

What's the difference between "roughly" and "exactly"?

"Roughly" implies an approximation, while "exactly" indicates precision. They are antonyms; using one or the other depends on the level of accuracy required.