substantially all of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially all of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a large majority or nearly all of something is being referred to, often in legal or formal contexts. Example: "The company reported that substantially all of its assets were sold during the acquisition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

"By any reasonable interpretation," the court said, "The Telegraph sale does not involve substantially all of International's assets as substantial operating (and nonoperating) assets will be retained, and International will remain a profitable publishing concern".

The New York Times

Yahoo's acquisition of Tumblr will be structured with substantially all of the $1.1 billion deal consideration offered in cash.

The New York Times

Banyan Branch, Seattle, a digital and social media agency, sold substantially all of its assets to Deloitte, New York.

The New York Times

The letter says that Spiegel was not in compliance with certain debt agreements and that "substantially all of the company's debt is currently due and payable".

The New York Times

Vall markets about 350,000 hogs a year, substantially all of which are sold under contract to the Seaboard Corporation in Guymon, Okla.

The New York Times

At Blacks, directors were keen to stress that a number of indicative offers had been made for all, "or substantially all" of the trading assets of the business.

The Guardian - Business

The reader, after all, has at his fingertips substantially all of the relevant content of the Oct. 31 edition of the collective work.

The New York Times

Johnson & Johnson will acquire substantially all of the assets and rights of Elan related to its Alzheimer's immunotherapy program through a new company, the two drug makers said.

The New York Times

Judge Shedd has submitted approximately 1,500 unpublished opinions, which the Senate has been told constitute substantially all of his written opinions on the bench.

The New York Times

JUST FOR FEET INC., Birmingham, Ala., an athletic footwear retailer, is seeking bankruptcy court approval to liquidate substantially all of its assets.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

PricewaterhouseCoopers U.S. completed an acquisition of substantially all the assets of BTG Partners, Miami, a digital consultancy.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantially all of" in formal writing, especially when precise quantification is difficult or unnecessary. It conveys that nearly everything is included without needing an exact percentage.

Common error

Avoid using "substantially all of" in casual conversation or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "almost all" or "nearly all" are more appropriate and sound less stilted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially all of" functions as a determiner or quantifier, modifying a noun phrase to indicate that nearly the entire amount or quantity is being referred to. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

11%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "substantially all of" is a formal way to express that almost everything is included, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's prevalent in news and business contexts, serving to specify the scope of something with near-totality. While grammatically correct, it's best to reserve it for formal writing and opt for simpler alternatives like "almost all of" in casual settings. Remember to leverage best practices, like precision in formal contexts, while avoiding overuse in informal ones.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost all of

Indicates a quantity very close to the total, with a slightly less formal tone.

nearly all of

Expresses a quantity just short of the total, similar in meaning but with a different emphasis.

the vast majority of

Refers to a large and dominant portion, often used to describe populations or groups.

almost entirely of

Highlights that something is composed of nearly the whole amount, focusing on composition.

essentially all of

Stresses the fundamental completeness, implying that any missing part is negligible.

the great bulk of

Emphasizes the physical size or amount of something that makes up the majority.

practically all of

Similar to 'almost all,' but with a slightly more informal or conversational tone.

by far the most of

Highlights that one part is significantly larger than any other, emphasizing dominance.

for the most part

Acknowledges that there might be exceptions but that the statement is generally true.

the lion's share of

Indicates that one part receives the largest portion, often used when dividing resources.

FAQs

How to use "substantially all of" in a sentence?

You can use "substantially all of" to indicate that nearly everything is included. For example, "Substantially all of the company's assets were sold during the acquisition."

What can I say instead of "substantially all of"?

You can use alternatives like "almost all of", "nearly all of", or "the vast majority of" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "substantially all of" or "almost all of"?

Both "substantially all of" and "almost all of" are correct, but "substantially all of" is more formal and often used in legal or business contexts, while "almost all of" is more common in everyday language.

What's the difference between "substantially all of" and "most of"?

"Substantially all of" implies a quantity very close to the total, whereas "most of" simply means a majority. The former is a stronger statement about the quantity involved.