spent around

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spent around" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate amount of time or money that has been used or consumed. Example: "I spent around three hours studying for the exam."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Total spent - around £750.

The Guardian - Money

So he spent around $80,000 to remove "Flower Girl" and repair the wall.

The New York Times

"In 2009, foreigners spent around $1.5 billion on Turkish real estate.

The New York Times

My parents spent around $150,000".

Vice

The court to date has spent around $1 billion.

The New York Times

By comparison, the Brady Campaign spent around $5,800.

The Washington Post

Since 2000, we have spent around £500m in aid there.

The Guardian

The couple spent around £200,000 having the twins.

The Guardian

"They have already spent around millions of yuan.

The Guardian

Since then the club has spent around £40m on buying players.

The Economist

Between 1989 and 2009, Fannie spent around $100m securing lawmakers' affections.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When estimating costs or time, use "spent around" to indicate an approximation. For example: "The project spent around $5000 on marketing."

Common error

Avoid using "spent around" when you have precise figures. It's best suited for estimations or ranges, not exact values. For instance, avoid saying "The bill spent around $45.50" if the bill was exactly $45.50.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spent around" functions as a verb phrase followed by a preposition, indicating an approximate quantity of resources, typically time or money, that has been used. Ludwig examples show its frequent use in describing estimations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

29%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

4%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spent around" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for indicating approximate amounts, particularly of time or money. As shown by Ludwig, it appears across a range of contexts from News & Media to Scientific publications, maintaining a neutral register. It is a reliable way to provide estimations when precision is not critical. However, it is important to avoid this phrase when you have a precise value.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

expended approximately

Replaces "spent" with "expended" and adds "approximately" for emphasis on approximation.

used approximately

Replaces "spent" with "used", and adds "approximately" for emphasis on approximation.

allocated roughly

Substitutes "spent" with "allocated" implying a more deliberate distribution, and "roughly" for approximation.

devoted nearly

Changes "spent" to "devoted", suggesting a commitment of time or resources, and uses "nearly" to indicate approximation.

dedicated roughly

Substitutes "spent" with "dedicated", and "roughly" for approximation.

invested about

Replaces "spent" with "invested", implying a return or benefit from the expenditure, and "about" for approximation.

distributed almost

Replaces "spent" with "distributed", implying a widespread allocation, and uses "almost" to indicate approximation.

utilized approximately

Substitutes "spent" with "utilized" implying the action of making practical and effective use of something and includes "approximately".

consumed roughly

Replaces "spent" with "consumed", focusing on the depletion of resources, and adds "roughly" for approximation.

allotted nearly

Changes "spent" to "allotted", suggesting a specific assignment of time or resources, and uses "nearly" to indicate approximation.

FAQs

How can I use "spent around" in a sentence?

Use "spent around" to indicate an approximate amount of time or money. For example, "I "spent around" two hours reading the book."

What is a good alternative to "spent around"?

Alternatives include "expended approximately", "invested about", or "utilized approximately" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "spent approximately" instead of "spent around"?

Yes, "spent approximately" is a correct and more formal alternative to "spent around". Both phrases convey the idea of an estimated amount.

What's the difference between "spent about" and "spent around"?

Both phrases are similar and indicate an approximation. "Spent around" might suggest a slightly wider range than "spent about", but they are largely interchangeable.