roughly understood

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "roughly understood" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that something is not fully comprehended but has a general idea or concept grasped. Example: "The theory was roughly understood by the students, but they still had many questions about the details."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"We didn't like the Soviets, but we roughly understood them to be extremely cautious," said Leon S. Fuerth, Mr. Gore's national security adviser.

The New York Times

The idea can be roughly understood by one biologist's remark in a pub that he would "gladly die for two brothers, four cousins or eight second cousins," each of them carrying the requisite percentage of the individual's genes to compensate for the mortal deed.

The New York Times

Their deeply-ingrained laïcité (roughly understood as laicism or secularism) notwithstanding, the French still looked and went to their religious past, symbolized by Notre Dame, knowing perhaps that the Church still offers what is needed during times of spiritual duress.

Huffington Post

The distribution of pederin and its analogues is roughly understood from dissection experiments.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

The small differences between coherent and incoherent functions in the noncluster forming systems can be roughly understood by simple de Gennes narrowing, τcoh/τinc ∼ S q) (see Figure S5 in the Supporting Information).

ACS Macro Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

In other countries, "people roughly understand what modern economics are about — if you say competitiveness, it's not a dirty word," said Pascal Lamy, the director general of the World Trade Organization, who is also a rare member of the French Socialist Party who favors open markets.

The New York Times

Without forming a SAR image, these extracted features will help us roughly understand and classify the illuminated targets.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

In light of the perceived shortcomings of the calibration approach (and those of alternative scoring rules), Tang proposes a synthesis of reliabilism and evidentialism, where evidentialism can roughly be understood as the view that a belief's justification is determined by how well it is supported by the evidence that the believer has.

SEP

BonJour outlines four traditional assumptions about knowledge, understood as roughly justified true belief, which he "broadly" endorses (BonJour 2010: 58 9).

SEP

The question is not whether we can broadly understand or roughly translate this argument but whether we can get our heads around the range of ideas in play.

Huffington Post

For instance, Austin (1950) proposes a view in which each statement (understood roughly as an utterance event) corresponds to both a fact or situation, and a type of situation.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "roughly understood" when you want to convey that the comprehension of a topic or concept is not precise or complete, but that the general idea is grasped. This can be particularly useful when discussing complex or nuanced subjects.

Common error

Avoid using "roughly understood" when a topic is actually well-understood or when greater precision is needed. Instead, opt for more definitive language to reflect the level of certainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "roughly understood" functions as a descriptor, indicating the degree to which something is comprehended. As Ludwig AI shows, it qualifies a subject as being known, but not with complete precision. It implies an approximation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "roughly understood" is a grammatically correct and useful expression to indicate that something is not perfectly or completely comprehended, but that a general understanding exists. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts. While not extremely common, the phrase appears in reputable sources, including news media and scientific publications. Consider related phrases such as "partially comprehended" or "imperfectly grasped" to fine-tune your intended meaning. Avoid using it when precise comprehension is crucial or when a topic is fully understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Roughly grasped

Focuses on the approximate nature of the understanding.

Partially comprehended

Indicates an incomplete level of understanding.

Generally apprehended

Focuses on a broadly accepted level of understanding.

Imperfectly grasped

Suggests an understanding that is not fully developed or accurate.

Vaguely apprehended

Implies a faint or indistinct understanding.

Incompletely perceived

Indicates the understanding is not whole or entire.

Superficially understood

Implies a lack of depth in understanding.

Approximately known

Highlights the estimated or inexact nature of the knowledge.

Generically understood

Focuses on understanding a general concept without specific details.

Fundamentally understood

Highlights basic understanding.

FAQs

What does "roughly understood" mean?

The phrase "roughly understood" indicates that something is not perfectly or completely comprehended, but a general or approximate understanding exists. It implies a level of uncertainty or a lack of specific details.

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

You can use "roughly understood" to describe a concept, theory, or process that is not fully clear but has been grasped in its general form. For example: "The basic principles of quantum physics are "roughly understood", but many details remain a mystery."

What are some alternatives to "roughly understood"?

Alternatives to "roughly understood" include "partially comprehended", "imperfectly grasped", or "vaguely apprehended". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "roughly understood"?

It is appropriate to use "roughly understood" when you want to acknowledge that while a concept isn't entirely clear or precisely defined, a general understanding has been achieved. Avoid using it if something is either perfectly understood or completely unknown.