separated about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "separated about" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you are describing items that are distanced from each other in a general sense, but it is not commonly used. Example: "The two groups were separated about a mile apart during the event."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

The couple have been separated about a year.

The New York Times

The Williamses were married in 1980 and separated about 18 months ago, Bain said.

The New York Times - Sports

He separated about 5,000 pages of documents into another pile.

The Guardian

"About when was it that you separated?" "About April of 1946".

The New Yorker

The couple separated about a year and half ago, he said.

The New York Times

Tammy and John separated about five months ago, Mr. Pannirello said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

The city police struggled to separate about 300 government loyalists from demonstrators carrying placards reading "Chávez Out".

The New York Times

As illustrated in Fig. 2C, the stickleback belongs to the Percomorpha, separating about 100 million years ago from the Beloniformes to which the medaka belongs.

Plosone

Pull the two covered wires at the top of the cord apart, separating about 4 inches (10 cm) down the cord.

WikiHow

The distance between ATH and MGD is about 4,000 km, while MGD and MOS are separated by about 1,000 km.

Earth, Planets and Space

The couple have been separated for about a year.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision is crucial, consider using more specific terms like "exactly" or "precisely" along with measured units instead of "separated about".

Common error

While understandable, "separated about" can sound imprecise. Opt for clearer alternatives like "approximately distanced" or "roughly spaced apart" in formal writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "separated about" functions as a descriptive element, indicating an estimated distance or space between two or more entities. It adds detail by specifying that the separation is not exact but approximate, as shown by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "separated about" serves to describe an approximate distance between two entities. While grammatically acceptable, as per Ludwig AI, its usage is more common in neutral or informal contexts. When greater precision is needed, consider alternatives like "approximately distanced" or "roughly spaced apart". Predominantly found in News & Media and Scientific sources, "separated about" provides a general, rather than exact, measurement of separation. Be mindful of your audience and context to ensure clarity and appropriateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately distanced

Replaces "separated" with "distanced" and "about" with "approximately" maintaining a similar level of precision.

roughly spaced apart

Uses "spaced apart" instead of "separated" and "roughly" instead of "about", suggesting an estimation of the distance.

in the vicinity of

Employs a more general term to indicate approximate distance without specifying the nature of separation.

around the distance of

Clarifies that the phrase refers to distance, using "around" for approximation.

in the neighborhood of

Offers a colloquial alternative to "about", implying an inexact measurement.

at an estimated distance of

Adds emphasis to the estimation aspect, suitable for more formal contexts.

with an approximate gap of

Specifically uses "gap" to refer to spatial separation and "approximate" to signal estimation.

more or less divided by

Focuses on division with an estimation using "more or less", rather than precise separation.

relatively far from

Highlights the distance aspect using "far" and qualifies it with "relatively", suggesting a non-specific separation.

at a loose interval of

Suggests an unquantified distance using "loose interval", deviating slightly from the original phrase's emphasis.

FAQs

What does "separated about" mean?

The phrase "separated about" generally means that two or more things are at an approximate distance from each other. The level of precision is low, and it indicates an estimated, rather than exact, separation.

Which is a better alternative to "separated about": "approximately distanced" or "roughly spaced apart"?

Both "approximately distanced" and "roughly spaced apart" are good alternatives. The best choice depends on the context: "approximately distanced" might be more appropriate in formal contexts, while "roughly spaced apart" can suit more casual settings.

How can I use "separated about" in a sentence?

You can use "separated about" to describe the distance between objects or locations, for example: "The houses were separated about a mile apart". However, consider if a more precise description is needed.

What is a more formal way to say "separated about"?

In more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "at an estimated distance of", or "approximately distanced". These options provide a more professional and precise tone.