roughly better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly better" is not correct and is generally not usable in written English.
The term "roughly" implies an approximation, which contradicts the definitive nature of "better." Example: "This method is roughly better than the previous one, but the differences are minimal."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

On one hand, simplified structures seem to be roughly better for maximizing the base CHF.

International Journal of Thermal Sciences

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

At about $100,000 in income, the GOP did roughly 7% better in 2004 than in 2008.

The Economist

He estimates that men's performances will remain roughly 8to11percentent better in most events.

The New York Times - Health

In purely economic terms, does that mean we were roughly 15percentt better off in 2006?

The New York Times

(My German isn't great, but, roughly translated, "better than the other way around").

The Guardian - Books

Because diesel fuel contains more energy per unit, the fuel economy of diesel cars is roughly 30% better than that of petrol-powered cars.

The Economist

One survey in late 2011 found that a small majority of Scots would back independence if it made them £500 (roughly $800) better off.

The Economist

Several people who left comments on the Gaelic translator site invoked a popular Irish saying that translates roughly to: "Better broken Irish than perfect English".

The New York Times

After the $500,000 doubles over five years, and is then taxed on the full amount at capital gains rates on the back end, Jack walks away with $850,000 — roughly 84 percent better off than Jill, who invested with after-tax dollars.

The New York Times

The performances of the developed controllers are evaluated using common error based performance indices indicating that the FLC has roughly 50% better performance than the PID controller.

Control Engineering Practice

Only 12% of the money that flowed into equity funds last quarter went to small-caps, even though these performed roughly 50% better than their large-cap brethren.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "roughly better" in formal writing; it's often perceived as semantically awkward. Opt for more precise qualifiers that align with the intended degree of improvement.

Common error

Be cautious about combining vague qualifiers like "roughly" with definitive terms like "better". This can create ambiguity and weaken the impact of your statement. Instead, use specific adjectives that accurately reflect the degree of improvement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly better" functions as a comparative adjective phrase where "roughly" modifies "better". Ludwig AI indicates that the combination is not correct and is generally not usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "roughly better" might seem like a straightforward way to express an approximate improvement, Ludwig AI suggests it is not correct and is generally not usable in written English. Its combination of approximation and definiteness creates awkwardness. For clearer and more effective communication, consider alternatives like "somewhat superior", "slightly improved", or "marginally better". Although examples can be found, particularly in news and scientific contexts, it's best to opt for precise wording to avoid ambiguity and enhance credibility. Therefore, while the intention behind "roughly better" is understandable, its execution leaves much to be desired in terms of grammatical elegance and semantic precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat superior

Replaces "roughly" with a more precise qualifier, indicating a moderate degree of superiority.

marginally better

Indicates a slight improvement, emphasizing the small difference in quality or performance.

slightly improved

Focuses on the act of improving, highlighting that the change is modest.

approximately superior

Specifies that the superiority is approximate, clarifying that it's not an exact measurement.

generally better

Suggests overall improvement, though not necessarily in every aspect or instance.

noticeably better

Emphasizes that the improvement is easily observed or recognized.

a bit better

Uses a colloquial tone to convey a minor degree of improvement.

moderately superior

Implies a balanced degree of improvement, not extreme but significant.

somewhat advantageous

Highlights the benefits of the change, indicating a slight advantage.

relatively improved

Indicates an improvement in relation to something else, framing the change contextually.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to saying "roughly better"?

Instead of "roughly better", consider using more precise phrases such as "somewhat superior", "marginally better", or "slightly improved" to better convey the degree of improvement.

Is "roughly better" grammatically correct?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "roughly better" is considered awkward due to the conflicting nature of "roughly" (implying approximation) and "better" (implying a definitive comparison). Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.

How can I use "better" in a sentence more effectively?

To use "better" effectively, ensure that the comparison is clear and the degree of improvement is well-defined. For instance, instead of saying "it's roughly better", specify "it's 10% better" or "it's significantly better".

What's the difference between "roughly better" and "slightly better"?

"Roughly better" implies an approximate improvement, while "slightly better" indicates a small, but more precisely defined, degree of improvement. "Slightly better" is generally preferred for its clarity.