somewhat extensive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "somewhat extensive" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is fairly large or comprehensive, but not overwhelmingly so. Example: "The report provided a somewhat extensive overview of the project's progress and challenges."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

That's what Gizmodo asks in its somewhat extensive collection of satellite images from Google Maps.

Huffington Post

A minor practical disadvantage of the DELFIA system is the somewhat extensive washing required compared with conventional immunoassays.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

And that coverage is somewhat less extensive than what would be required by the House bill.

The New York Times - Health

With somewhat more extensive medial temporal lobe damage, one can expect something more severe, as in E.P. [a patient whom Squire and his colleagues have investigated intensively].

The New Yorker

Street fighting appeared to abate somewhat after extensive clashes on Wednesday in which eight Palestinians were killed, and after Israeli helicopter strikes overnight that killed a German and wounded at least 10 Palestinians.

The New York Times

The increased size of the atoms makes the oxides more basic and the aqueous chemistry somewhat more extensive and permits the attainment of coordination numbers 7 and, quite frequently, 8 in a number of zirconium compounds.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The increased size of the atoms makes the oxides more basic and the aqueous chemistry somewhat more extensive and permits the attainment of coordination numbers 7 and, quite frequently, 8 in a number of hafnium compounds.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The attacks on Misrata, a city 130 miles east of Tripoli, and Zintan, a town close to the Tunisian border, came after a third – if somewhat less extensive – night of bombing of Libyan targets, including the destruction of a substantial naval workshop on the Mediterranean shore at the eastern end of the capital.

Independent

These data indicate that either stimulating 5-HT1A or blocking frontal cortical muscarinic receptors at training impairs passive avoidance performance and that the deficit following the latter treatment is somewhat more extensive.

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

We note that the overall post-seismic horizontal deformation of the mainshock, although much smaller in magnitude, is somewhat more extensive towards the far-field than that of the co-seismic case (cf. Fig. 4).

Earth, Planets and Space

At 325°C we find somewhat more extensive ion-pairing and the formation of polynuclear clusters (i.e., Na n Cl m with n, m > 3) but the results do not appear qualitatively different from those at 25°C.

Geochemical Transactions

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "somewhat extensive" to describe something that is more than just somewhat large, approaching a comprehensive scale, but not fully exhaustive.

Common error

Avoid using "somewhat extensive" in every situation where you need to describe size or scope. Overuse can make your writing sound repetitive and less impactful. Instead, choose synonyms that more precisely reflect the degree and nature of the extensiveness you're describing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "somewhat extensive" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun to indicate its scope or size. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is acceptable in written English. Examples show its use in describing collections, washing processes, and geographical emphases.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "somewhat extensive" is an adverb-adjective phrase used to describe something that is fairly large or comprehensive but not overwhelmingly so. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. It's frequently found in scientific and news contexts. The phrase serves to qualify the degree of extensiveness, providing a nuanced description. While "somewhat extensive" is considered acceptable across registers, writers should be mindful of overusing it and consider synonyms like "moderately broad" or "fairly comprehensive" for more precise and impactful writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fairly extensive

It replaces "somewhat" with "fairly", while keeping "extensive" as it is.

somewhat comprehensive

It keeps "somewhat" to soften the word, replacing "extensive" with "comprehensive" to convey completeness.

moderately broad

This alternative replaces "extensive" with "broad" and "somewhat" with "moderately", indicating a scope that is neither narrow nor exceedingly wide.

fairly comprehensive

This option uses "comprehensive" to convey completeness and "fairly" to soften the impact, suggesting a high degree of coverage without being absolute.

relatively broad

It replaces "somewhat" with "relatively", while keeping "extensive" with its synonym "broad".

relatively thorough

This option utilizes "thorough" to indicate detail and "relatively" to temper the degree, conveying completeness in a comparative sense.

moderately detailed

Here, "detailed" emphasizes the level of detail, while "moderately" indicates a balance, suggesting neither superficiality nor excessive intricacy.

reasonably wide

This uses "wide" to convey a large scope and "reasonably" to moderate the extent.

quite large

This alternative substitutes "extensive" with "large", focusing on size rather than scope, and uses "quite" to indicate a noticeable degree.

somewhat large

This alternative directly replaces "extensive" with "large", focusing on the magnitude, and retains "somewhat" to indicate a degree of moderation.

FAQs

How can I use "somewhat extensive" in a sentence?

You can use "somewhat extensive" to describe something that is fairly large or comprehensive, but not overwhelmingly so. For example, "The report provided a "somewhat extensive" overview of the project's progress and challenges."

What are some alternatives to "somewhat extensive"?

You can use alternatives like "moderately broad", "fairly comprehensive", or "relatively thorough" depending on the context.

Is "somewhat extensive" a formal or informal phrase?

"Somewhat extensive" is generally considered a neutral phrase suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal or academic writing, you might consider more precise synonyms for added clarity.

When is it appropriate to use "somewhat extensive" instead of "extensive"?

Use "somewhat extensive" when you want to convey that something is large or comprehensive but not to the highest degree. It softens the impact of "extensive" and indicates a more moderate level of coverage.