roughly a decade ago

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly a decade ago" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate time frame of ten years in the past. Example: "Roughly a decade ago, we launched our first product, which changed the industry."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Played in a roughly 10-by-10-foot 10-by-10-foot 10-by-10-foot 10-by-10-foot

The New York Times

Johnson eats roughly 1,000 calories a day in cod alone".

Huffington Post

@ThePatAshworth asks a question: Migration roughly 50/50 EU/non-EU.

BBC

Prose flourished as a literary medium from roughly 1200.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The towns have a combined population of roughly 7,000 residents.

Huffington Post

Roughly, fall and winter are football.

The New Yorker

Roughly 2,000 have been presumed dead.

The New York Times

From roughly 1900 she lived in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Modern humans evolved in Africa roughly 200,000 years ago.

The New York Times - Science

The American one is at roughly 1,950.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

That would translate into roughly 1,750 apartments.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "roughly a decade ago", consider your audience and the context. If precision is crucial, research and provide a more exact timeframe. If an approximation is sufficient, the phrase is appropriate and avoids unnecessary detail.

Common error

Avoid using "roughly a decade ago" when you have access to more accurate information. If you know the specific year, stating it directly is more effective and credible.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly a decade ago" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an event occurred. It provides an approximate timeframe without specifying an exact date or year.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "roughly a decade ago" serves as an approximate indicator of time, pinpointing events that occurred around ten years in the past. While grammatically correct and widely understood, Ludwig shows the phrase is currently lacking example usages. The phrase offers a neutral register suitable for various contexts. When using this phrase, consider the level of accuracy needed. For times when greater precision is required, consider more specific alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately ten years ago

Replaces "roughly" with "approximately" for similar level of precision.

about ten years ago

Uses "about" instead of "roughly" or "approximately", indicating an estimation.

around ten years ago

Employs "around" to suggest an imprecise period close to ten years.

nearly ten years ago

Suggests the period was slightly less than ten years.

ten or so years ago

Uses "or so" to explicitly convey an inexact duration.

a little under ten years ago

More specific about the duration being less than ten years.

almost ten years ago

Similar to "nearly", indicating proximity to the ten-year mark.

in the mid-2010s

Provides a range to indicate mid-decade.

about a decade back

Uses "back" as a colloquial synonym for "ago".

ten years in the past

More literal and less idiomatic than "roughly a decade ago".

FAQs

What does "roughly a decade ago" mean?

The phrase "roughly a decade ago" means approximately ten years prior to the current time. It's used when an exact date isn't necessary or known.

What are some alternatives to "roughly a decade ago"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately ten years ago", "about ten years ago", or "around ten years ago" depending on the level of precision needed.

Is it correct to say "near a decade ago" instead of "roughly a decade ago"?

While understandable, "near a decade ago" is less common and slightly awkward. "Roughly a decade ago", "almost a decade ago" or "nearly a decade ago" are more idiomatic and natural choices.

How accurate is "roughly a decade ago" as a time reference?

"Roughly a decade ago" implies an approximation, suggesting a window of a few years before or after the ten-year mark. It is not meant to be an exact timeframe.