roughly identical

USAGE SUMMARY

"roughly identical" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe two or more objects, people, ideas, or topics that have many similarities despite some minor differences. For example, you might say: "The two proposals are roughly identical, save for a few details."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

The unirradiated tensile performances of both alloys are roughly identical.

Journal of Nuclear Materials

The teen pregnancy rate in blue Connecticut, for instance, is roughly identical to the teen pregnancy rate in red Montana.

The New York Times

His message, in substance, is that on the issues a Cruz Presidency would be roughly identical to a Sarah Palin Presidency.

The New Yorker

The Porticus Aemilia, for example, consisted of a series of roughly identical arches and vaults the shapes so characteristic of later Roman architecture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As for the competition with South Carolina, the two states had roughly identical, solid economic growth last year, and both have jobless rates worse than the national average.

The New York Times

Statistics released yesterday by the City Health Department show that New York's infant mortality rate is now roughly identical to the national rate, which has historically been far lower than New York's.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

When compared to human cav-1, cav-2 was determined to be roughly 38% identical and 58% similar to a conserved region of eight identical aminoacids.

BioMed Research International

High Jaccard index is computed as TP/ TP+FP+FN) and is high if known and predicted families roughly contain identical genes.

Plosone

However, cav-3 is roughly 64% identical to cav-1 and can form homooligomeric complexes with itself and does not require cav-1 to drive caveolae formation [ 88].

BioMed Research International

However, even when a donor antigen match is identical, roughly 40percentt of recipients still develop GVHD; this figure increases to between 60 and 80percentt when only a single antigen is mismatched.

Britannica

Gottesman and Shields found roughly half of identical twins had a shared schizophrenic or non-schizophrenic status, but only one-eleventh of fraternal twins had such a shared diagnosis.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "roughly identical" when precision isn't critical, but ensure the context acknowledges any minor differences to avoid misleading your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "roughly identical" when there are significant or impactful differences. Overstating the similarity can undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly identical" functions as a modifier, specifically an adjectival phrase, to describe nouns. It indicates that the modified noun possesses a high degree of similarity to another, without being perfectly the same. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which identifies it as a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

36%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "roughly identical" is a useful phrase for expressing near equivalence or a high degree of similarity. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is considered grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts. While the phrase suggests a close resemblance, it doesn't imply absolute equality. Therefore, it's important to ensure the context appropriately acknowledges any minor differences. Its frequency across various sources, including science, news, and encyclopedias, positions it as a commonly used phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

roughly similar

Replaces "identical" with "similar" to indicate a less strict equivalence.

approximately the same

Implies a close similarity, potentially with minor variations.

nearly equivalent

Suggests a practical equivalence, even if not perfectly identical.

broadly similar

Similar in general terms but not necessarily in every detail.

virtually indistinguishable

Emphasizes the difficulty in perceiving any difference.

substantially equivalent

Emphasizes that the equivalence is significant and meaningful.

almost alike

A more informal way to express similarity.

comparable

Focuses on the aspect of being able to compare due to similarities.

much the same

Highlights a high degree of similarity, particularly in effect or result.

in the same ballpark

An idiomatic expression for being within the same range or order of magnitude.

FAQs

How can I use "roughly identical" in a sentence?

You can use "roughly identical" to describe two or more things that are very similar but not exactly the same. For example: "The two models produced "roughly identical" results."

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

"Roughly identical" implies slight variations exist, while "exactly identical" means there are no differences whatsoever. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the degree of similarity.

What can I say instead of "roughly identical"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately the same", "nearly equivalent", or "virtually indistinguishable" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "almost roughly identical"?

Yes, using both "almost" and "roughly" is generally redundant. "Roughly identical" already implies an approximation, so adding "almost" doesn't add significant meaning.