somewhat inaccurate

USAGE SUMMARY

"somewhat inaccurate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to convey the idea that something is not completely wrong, but not completely right either. For example: "His description of the situation was somewhat inaccurate, but still contained enough information to be useful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

And I thought your remarks were somewhat inaccurate if I may say so.

The Guardian

A typical survey required a crew of three or four people, could take days to complete and was somewhat inaccurate.

The New York Times - Tech

She had a TB relapse in 1957, though "relapse" is somewhat inaccurate, human error being to blame.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And yet, reports of the notoriously social young Hilton sisters table dancing have been constant, if somewhat inaccurate.

The New York Times - Style

It's safest to assume that all the ads you see this year will be at least somewhat inaccurate because the ad-makers now take dishonesty as a mark of their professional toughness.

The New York Times

For writers who have found neither inner peace nor boatloads of cash, and certainly not both at once, for those just trying to get health insurance and scrape together some hope for the future, it feels somewhat inaccurate to hear the writing life described as having "everything to recommend it over real work".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

The game-changing pick-six by Tim Jennings was somewhat of a freak play, as Steve Smith slipped on the route, making Newton's slightly inaccurate pass a wildly inaccurate pass.

The New York Times

He described a newspaper as "a partial, hasty, incomplete, inevitably somewhat flawed and inaccurate rendering of some of the things we have heard about in the past 24 hours - distorted, despite our best efforts to eliminate gross bias - by the very process of compression that makes it possible for you to lift it from the doorstep and read it in about an hour.

The Guardian

With ML, inference under the wrong model produced a somewhat lower frequency of topologically inaccurate trees, although each inaccurate tree was more inaccurate as judged by symmetric distance (Table 2).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Our results also suggest that measurement accuracy impacts on the observed dose-response relationships between steps per day and health outcomes; this is somewhat concerning if an inaccurate measure was used to establish public health recommendations.

Plosone

In our opinion, however, this assumption is formally inaccurate, and is somewhat misleading, as it might be inferred that real-time RT-PCR gives at least 10% of false negative results in patients with overt symptomatic influenza requiring ICU admission.

Critical Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing the phrase "somewhat inaccurate," ensure the context provides sufficient clarity regarding the nature and extent of the inaccuracy. For example, avoid vague statements like 'The report was somewhat inaccurate' and provide specifics such as 'The casualty figures in the report were somewhat inaccurate, leading to an overestimation of the conflict's impact.'

Common error

Avoid using "somewhat inaccurate" when the information is significantly flawed or entirely incorrect. In such cases, opt for stronger terms like "largely inaccurate" or "completely false" to accurately reflect the extent of the error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "somewhat inaccurate" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating a degree of imprecision or error. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is usable in written English to convey that something is not completely wrong. Examples from Ludwig show it describing reports, figures, and descriptions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "somewhat inaccurate" is a versatile adjective phrase used to express that information is not entirely correct but also not completely wrong. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is acceptable in written English, primarily used in contexts like news, science, and general knowledge. The analysis shows a balance between formality and accessibility, making it suitable for diverse audiences. When using this phrase, it's best practice to provide context to specify the nature of the inaccuracy, and avoid using it when the information is significantly flawed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

partially incorrect

Indicates that only a portion of something is wrong, not the entirety.

slightly off

Suggests a minor deviation from accuracy, often in a less formal context.

not entirely precise

Emphasizes a lack of exactness, suggesting a need for further refinement.

a bit inexact

Highlights a mild level of imprecision, suitable for general use.

somewhat erroneous

Indicates the presence of error to a limited degree, often in more formal settings.

not quite right

Suggests something is amiss, but not drastically wrong, often used informally.

a shade off

Implies a minimal departure from correctness, suitable for nuanced contexts.

moderately flawed

Highlights that the thing has some errors, defects or is only partially working as intended.

imperfect to some extent

Suggests that the content is not completely flawed, but is not flawless either.

questionable in parts

Indicates the doubtfulness or uncertainty of the thing being described is only applicable to some parts.

FAQs

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

You can use "somewhat inaccurate" to describe information that is not entirely correct but not entirely wrong either. For example: "The report was "somewhat inaccurate", but still provided useful insights."

What are some alternatives to "somewhat inaccurate"?

Alternatives include "partially incorrect", "slightly off", or "not entirely precise". The best choice depends on the specific context and the degree of inaccuracy you want to convey.

Is it better to say "somewhat inaccurate" or "slightly inaccurate"?

Both phrases are valid, but "somewhat inaccurate" suggests a slightly greater degree of error than "slightly inaccurate". The choice depends on the specific level of imprecision you wish to convey.

What's the difference between "somewhat inaccurate" and "completely inaccurate"?

"Somewhat inaccurate" indicates a partial lack of correctness, whereas "completely inaccurate" means entirely wrong. The first implies some truth or relevance, while the second indicates a total absence of factual correctness.