roughly three months

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly three months" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate an approximate duration of time, especially when exactness is not necessary. Example: "The project is expected to take roughly three months to complete."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

The charge is equal to roughly three months' worth of its earnings, the company said.

The New York Times

It takes the government roughly three months to process DACA applications.

The New Yorker

"I spent roughly three months with my office door locked," Mr. Bisceglie said.

The New York Times

The eggs hatch quickly, and tadpoles metamorphose in roughly three months.

Britannica

Respondents (n = 23,907) were interviewed roughly three months prior to and again three months after the earthquake.

Journal of Psychiatric Research

The budget, now roughly three months late, has been the source of deep divisions among lawmakers.

The New York Times

Then, the week before Christmas, roughly three months after the neonicotinoid treatment was halted, hives began to fail.

Harvard University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi remembers the day he met George Young 31 years ago and the last day he saw him, roughly three months ago.

The New York Times - Sports

This time Loria outdid himself, thanks to the wholly misguided decision a year ago to hire Ozzie Guillen, whose firing on Tuesday was surprising only in that it took this long, because the Marlins' season ended roughly three months ago.

The New York Times

Roughly three months ago, we highlighted Kinder's strong third quarter results as hopeful tidings for US midstream, as well as mounting evidence of the company's gathering strength.

Forbes

El-Moussa says she started studying the tarot roughly three months ago.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "roughly three months" to indicate an approximate duration, avoiding the need for exact dates or figures when precision is not essential.

Common error

Avoid using "roughly three months" when a more precise timeframe is required or available. If specific dates or a more accurate duration is known, use that information instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly three months" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause by indicating a duration of time. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

17%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "roughly three months" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote an approximate duration. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating its use across diverse contexts, mainly in news, science, and general knowledge domains. While versatile, it's important to remember that "roughly" indicates an estimation, so it is better not to use in situations requiring absolute precision. Common alternatives include "approximately three months" and "about three months".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more or less three months

Highlights the potential for slight variation around the three-month mark.

in the neighborhood of three months

Emphasizes the approximate nature of the timeframe using a more descriptive phrase.

something like three months

Uses more colloquial language to express an approximate timeframe.

approximately a quarter of a year

Replaces the colloquial "roughly three months" with a more formal, precise duration.

in the vicinity of three months

Uses a more formal and less common way to indicate an approximate duration.

in the ballpark of three months

Uses the idiom "in the ballpark" to convey the approximate nature of the duration.

about 90 days

Converts the time frame into a specific number of days, offering a slightly more precise feel.

around 13 weeks

Expresses the duration in weeks, another common unit of time, providing an alternative perspective.

in about a trimester

Replaces the query with a synonymous academic expression.

close to a fiscal quarter

Replace the query with a synonymous business expression.

FAQs

How can I use "roughly three months" in a sentence?

You can use "roughly three months" to describe a period of time that is approximately three months long, like in the sentence, "The project is expected to take "roughly three months" to complete".

What is another way to say "roughly three months"?

You can use alternatives such as "approximately three months", "about three months", or "around three months" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "roughly three months" or "exactly three months"?

It depends on the context. Use ""roughly three months"" when you are estimating. If you know the precise duration, use "exactly three months".

What does "roughly" mean in the context of "roughly three months"?

In this context, "roughly" means approximately or about. It indicates that the duration is not precise but is close to three months.