roughly half the time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly half the time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate frequency or occurrence of an event or situation. Example: "The experiment yielded successful results roughly half the time, suggesting that further research is needed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

That's roughly half the time that it took for the best human solvers to finish, but here's the thing: points are awarded here for accuracy as well as for speed, and Dr. Fill made a mistake.

The New York Times

Jim Zemlin, executive director of the non-profit Linux Foundation, has been using Linux for about as long as I have, which is roughly half the time that Linux has been around.

TechCrunch

Compare that to the claustrophobic enclosures of MGS4's rigid design, where ostensibly large areas often had few variations to get through and roughly half the time in-game interaction meant pressing the X button to trigger a flashback during a cutscene.

Vice

"We are being called on to develop a vaccine in roughly half the time it normally takes," Mr. Ignon said.

The New York Times

Mr. Santorum, with 5 minutes and 28 seconds of airtime, was on the screen roughly half the time that Mr. Romney was.

The New York Times

The Mercedes C63 AMG, with 451 horsepower, rockets to 60 m.p.h. in less than 4 seconds — roughly half the time of the original M3.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

The group is also beginning a new program, Fleetwood 2nd Stage, in which plays will be performed with scenery, lighting and costumes, and without scripts, but with roughly half the rehearsal time as mainstage plays.

The New York Times

At the bottom, there is an L2 cache for the global memory with roughly half the access time.

Biomedical Optics Express

Although equal on average, the renewable power generation of a fully renewable country will be larger than the load for roughly half of the time, and smaller for the other half.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

The data reveal that while Xenopus tadpoles showed no preference for either color light, spending roughly half of the time in both blue and red halves, zebrafish spent approximately 70% of the time under the blue light (Fig. 6A, t test p = 0.032).

Plosone

It's because I have had sex with more than one person, and I had unmarried sex quite a few times, and roughly half the people have been men and the other half have been women, and then there were a few people in between those genders who identified in differing ways, so it's up to me to define myself, too, and so that would be queer.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "roughly half the time", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the 'time' refers to. Be specific to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of saying "It rains roughly half the time", specify "It rains roughly half the time during the summer months".

Common error

Avoid using "roughly half the time" when you have precise data. If you know the exact percentage or frequency, use that instead of an approximation. This enhances credibility and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly half the time" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate frequency or duration. It expresses that an event or situation occurs approximately 50% of the time. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "roughly half the time" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression used to denote an approximate frequency of 50%. As Ludwig AI confirms, its primary function is to act as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses. Its usage is prevalent across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing, showcasing its versatility and broad applicability. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the 'time' being referenced. While "roughly half the time" provides a convenient approximation, it's crucial to avoid its use when precise data is available, as accuracy enhances credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately half the time

Replaces "roughly" with "approximately", maintaining the same meaning.

about half the time

Substitutes "roughly" with "about", offering a slightly less formal tone.

around half the time

Uses "around" instead of "roughly", providing a similar level of approximation.

nearly half the time

Employs "nearly" to suggest a value close to but not quite half.

close to half the time

Expresses the idea of being in the vicinity of half the time.

half the time, give or take

Adds "give or take" to explicitly acknowledge the approximate nature of the estimate.

in approximately 50% of cases

Rephrases to use a percentage instead of a fraction, changing the structure.

in about 50% of instances

Similar to the previous, replacing "cases" with "instances".

fifty percent of the time, more or less

Explicitly states "fifty percent" with an added qualifier for approximation.

something like half the time

Uses a more colloquial phrasing with "something like".

FAQs

How can I use "roughly half the time" in a sentence?

You can use "roughly half the time" to indicate an approximate frequency or occurrence of an event. For example, "The experiment yielded successful results roughly half the time, suggesting that further research is needed."

What are some alternatives to "roughly half the time"?

Alternatives include "approximately half the time", "about half the time", or "nearly half the time", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "roughly half the time" or "approximately 50% of the time"?

Both "roughly half the time" and "approximately 50% of the time" are acceptable. The choice depends on the context; the former is more colloquial, while the latter is more precise.

What does "roughly" imply in the phrase "roughly half the time"?

The word "roughly" indicates that the quantity is an approximation, not an exact figure. It suggests that the actual value may be slightly more or less than precisely half.