roughly an hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly an hour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when estimating a duration of time that is not exact, typically in informal contexts. Example: "The meeting will take roughly an hour, so please plan accordingly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Roughly an hour later, he got a call from a co-worker.

Los Angeles Times

Roughly an hour later, the firm paid the award with interest, and the suspension was lifted.

The New York Times

It crashed roughly an hour later.

The New York Times

Roughly an hour by subway from Midtown Manhattan.

The New York Times

They met for roughly an hour and a half.

The Washington Post

Monday, roughly an hour after the church opened.

The New York Times

All right, roughly an hour and a half.

The New York Times

Mr. Biss's Curtis course consists of five weekly lectures of roughly an hour each.

The New York Times - Arts

In "LANDforms," which comes second, you have roughly an hour ago.

The New York Times - Arts

Roughly an hour passed before the family knew what really happened.

The New York Times

Then nothing much happened, for roughly an hour, other than the space's growing uncomfortably hot.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider your audience when using "roughly an hour". While widely understood, more formal contexts may benefit from using "approximately one hour" or "about an hour".

Common error

Avoid using "roughly an hour" in formal documents or scientific reports where precise measurements are expected. Opt for more exact language to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly an hour" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the approximate duration of an action or event. Ludwig's examples showcase this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

13%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "roughly an hour" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate an approximate duration of time. As Ludwig confirms, this phrase appears most frequently in news and media, with less frequent usage in more formal or scientific contexts. When writing, it’s best to use this phrase when precision isn't necessary, and consider alternatives like "approximately one hour" for formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately one hour

More formal and precise, using "approximately" instead of "roughly".

about an hour

A simpler, more common way to express an estimated hour.

around an hour

Similar in meaning to "about an hour", indicating an approximation.

close to an hour

Suggests the duration is near but not exactly one hour.

nearly an hour

Indicates that the duration is just short of a full hour.

almost an hour

Very similar to "nearly an hour", implying a time close to one hour.

in the neighborhood of an hour

More informal, indicating a time estimate that is approximate.

in the vicinity of an hour

Similar to "in the neighborhood of an hour" but slightly more formal.

give or take an hour

Expresses that the duration is estimated and may vary slightly.

an hour or so

Indicates a duration of approximately one hour, possibly a little more.

FAQs

How can I use "roughly an hour" in a sentence?

You can use "roughly an hour" to estimate time, for example, "The meeting will take "roughly an hour"" or "The drive is "roughly an hour" from here".

What can I say instead of "roughly an hour"?

Alternatives include "about an hour", "approximately an hour", or "around an hour", depending on the context.

Is it okay to use "roughly an hour" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "roughly" implies an approximation and may be too informal for certain formal contexts. Consider using "approximately one hour" for greater precision.

What's the difference between "roughly an hour" and "almost an hour"?

"Roughly an hour" suggests a general estimate, while "almost an hour" indicates the time is slightly less than a full hour.