roughly twelve years

USAGE SUMMARY

"roughly twelve years" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when you want to indicate an approximate duration of twelve years. For example, "He lived in that city for roughly twelve years before moving." Alternative expressions include "about twelve years" and "approximately twelve years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

I glimpsed one Epic employee, who appeared to be, roughly, twelve years old, typing away at his desk in a window office, while Gears's senior producer and the company's senior gameplay designer toiled in small, windowless rooms.

The New Yorker

High: You have been with Fannie Mae for roughly twelve years, and you had held a great variety of responsibilities throughout your tenure.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

billion, roughly three years after the merger.

The New York Times

Roughly two years.

The New York Times - Travel

Roughly twenty-five yeago ago now.

The New Yorker

I first met Andrew roughly twenty-five yeago ago, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The New Yorker

The sum equaled roughly three years of his salary.

The New York Times

In roughly three years, it has changed to 'bought'bought

The Guardian - Books

Anatomically modern humans have been around for roughly two hundred thousand years.

The New Yorker

Yet its time frame, roughly four years, is tight.

The New York Times - Arts

When Plato was roughly thirty years old, Plato attended the death of his great teacher.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal academic papers, consider using "approximately twelve years" for a slightly more technical tone

Common error

Avoid combining two approximation adverbs, such as 'roughly about twelve years' or 'approximately roughly twelve years'. Choose one and stick to it to maintain professional clarity

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly twelve years" functions as an adverbial phrase of duration. The adverb 'roughly' serves as a submodifier for the numeral 'twelve', which in turn modifies the noun 'years'. Ludwig AI indicates this structure is standard for indicating non-specific time intervals.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "roughly twelve years" is a highly effective and grammatically correct way to express an approximate duration. Ludwig AI shows that it is favored by prestigious publications like The New Yorker and The Economist due to its clarity and professional tone. It is most frequently used in journalistic and academic writing to provide context without the need for absolute precision. Whether you are discussing a professional tenure, a historical period, or a biological process, this phrase remains a reliable choice for any writer seeking to balance descriptive detail with factual estimation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately twelve years

More formal and often preferred in scientific or academic contexts

roughly 12 years

Uses digits instead of words, common in technical or data-driven reports

about twelve years

Slightly more casual but widely used in everyday speech

around twelve years

A common synonym that works well in both neutral and informal registers

roughly a dozen years

Uses the collective noun 'dozen' for a slightly more literary or descriptive tone

twelve years or so

A common idiomatic expression that places the approximation at the end

close to twelve years

Emphasizes that the duration is almost twelve years

nearly twelve years

Implies the duration is slightly less than twelve years

some twelve years

A more sophisticated way to express an approximate number

just over twelve years

Provides a more specific direction to the approximation, indicating it exceeds twelve

FAQs

How to use "roughly twelve years" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a duration or an age, for example: "He has worked at the firm for "roughly twelve years"" or "The species has been extinct for "roughly twelve years"".

What can I say instead of "roughly twelve years"?

Depending on your required tone, you can use "about twelve years", ""approximately twelve years"", or "nearly twelve years".

Is it "roughly twelve years" or "roughly 12 years"?

Both are grammatically correct. Generally, style guides suggest spelling out numbers under ten or thirteen in formal prose, so "roughly twelve years" is standard for literature and news, while "roughly 12 years" is better for scientific reports or tables.

Is "roughly twelve years" formal enough for a resume?

Yes, it is professional. However, if you want to sound even more precise or formal, ""approximately twelve years"" is often preferred in business documentation.