roughly one hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly one 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 or when providing approximate information. Example: "The meeting will take roughly one hour, so please plan accordingly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

Each performance, each album comprises roughly one hour of slowly changing, mesmerising, totally acoustic music.

The Guardian - Music

It was estimated that it took the patients roughly one hour to complete the questionnaire.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

o It took roughly one hour to draw five multiple imputations.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

I have roughly one hour of laptop juice left, so please feel free to leave a comment or AIM me at crunchtips.

TechCrunch

I think it took me roughly one hour per mission, but I'm pretty ADD, so the hardcore types will probably finish in half the time.

TechCrunch

These sporadic observations have led to the belief that nocturnal attacks of CH are temporally related to the rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep phase, the first of which typically occurs roughly one hour after sleep onset.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Last Friday, the one-act, three-character, roughly one-hour work was performed on a kind of continual loop from noon until midnight in a high-ceilinged, balconied hall at St. Mark's Lutheran Church.

Los Angeles Times

That will put 15 teams — half the major leagues — in a roughly one-hour radius.

The New York Times - Travel

Will it increase Marchetti's constant, the roughly one-hour commute that urban planners think residents can bear?

TechCrunch

Most of the squad was involved in the roughly one-hour mass theft operation.

Huffington Post

From middle school onward, the day is carved into roughly one-hour periods that find children in different classrooms with different teachers studying different things.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "roughly one hour" when you need to provide an estimate and precision is not crucial. This phrase is suitable for general communication where approximate timing is sufficient.

Common error

Avoid using "roughly one hour" when providing precise schedules or in contexts requiring exact timing. In such scenarios, provide the accurate duration or use phrases like "approximately 55-65 minutes" if an exact time isn't known.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly one hour" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating duration. It provides an estimation of time, softening the precision of "one hour". Ludwig's examples demonstrate usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

26%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "roughly one hour" is a common and acceptable way to estimate a duration, as confirmed by Ludwig. It functions as an adverbial modifier, providing an approximate timeframe suitable for various contexts, particularly in news, science, and general communication. While grammatically correct and versatile, precision should be avoided when the time is critical, and more formal options like "approximately one hour" can be considered. Ludwig's examples showcase the phrase's broad applicability, highlighting its utility in conveying estimations without requiring exactness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately an hour

Uses "approximately" instead of "roughly" for a more formal tone.

about an hour

Replaces "roughly" with "about" for a simpler, more casual expression.

around an hour

Employs "around" to indicate an approximation of time.

in the neighborhood of an hour

Uses a more descriptive and less common way to estimate time.

in the vicinity of one hour

A more formal and precise alternative to 'roughly'.

more or less one hour

Indicates that the duration might be slightly longer or shorter than one hour.

an hour or so

Adds "or so" to suggest a flexible timeframe close to an hour.

something like an hour

Uses "something like" to convey an estimate.

nearly one hour

Uses "nearly" to indicate that the duration is close to one hour, but slightly less.

almost one hour

Employs "almost" to suggest the duration is approaching one hour.

FAQs

What does "roughly one hour" mean?

The phrase "roughly one hour" indicates an approximate duration of time, meaning about an hour but not necessarily exactly 60 minutes. It implies an estimation or a general timeframe.

When is it appropriate to use "roughly one hour"?

It's appropriate to use "roughly one hour" in situations where a precise duration is not needed or known. This phrase is suitable for informal settings, general planning, or when providing estimated timelines.

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

You can use alternatives like "approximately an hour", "about an hour", or "around an hour", depending on the context.

How accurate is "roughly one hour"?

The accuracy of "roughly one hour" depends on the context, but it generally implies a duration close to 60 minutes, perhaps with a variance of 5-10 minutes more or less. It is not precise and should not be used when exact timing is critical.