substantially identical to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially identical to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to indicate that two items, concepts, or entities are very similar or nearly the same in significant ways. Example: "The two products are substantially identical to each other in terms of features and performance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

One maneuver, though much more restricted than it once was, involves selling borrowed securities substantially identical to those already held.

The New York Times

According to WWD, it will cover, "deliberate copies that are substantially identical to the protected designs" for three years.

The New York Times

The system advocated by him, and soon thereafter adopted by most leading chemists, is substantially identical to what is still used today.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In the other cases, he said: "We're adopting a cautious approach because the answer depends on individual facts and circumstances to define whether the replacement property is substantially identical to the property that is sold.

The New York Times

More dramatically, the draft declaration proposes amending the human rights convention to make a case inadmissible if the claim was substantially identical to a question that had already been considered by a national court.

The Guardian

One of the biggest changes in the new bill is that designers would have to prove that a copy is "substantially identical" to their originals, rather than "substantially similar".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

It was also found that any flow regime was substantially identical at different radial positions across the column.

Chemical Engineering Science

Eventually it was discovered that common flypaper at the time contained arsenic, and that by soaking the flypaper in water, a solution substantially identical – including the same adulterants – to that found in a bottle at the Higgins residence could be obtained.

Wikipedia

The composition and organization of genes within the mtDNAs of all dermatophytes analyzed was found to be substantially identical, reinforcing the view that dermatophytes are closely related and constitute a highly conserved lineage of filamentous fungi.

BMC Genomics

Over 100 substantially identical emails were received stating an opposition to the continued inclusion of evolution in the proposed standards, characterizing evolution as a theory and not a fact.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

(Because of the Internal Revenue Service's wash-sale rule, you cannot buy back the same stock or substantially identical securities for 30 days and expect to claim a loss on that stock).

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially identical to" in legal or technical contexts, ensure you can justify the use of 'substantially' rather than 'exactly' identical. What specific deviations or allowances are being accounted for by using "substantially"?

Common error

Avoid using "substantially identical to" when there are clear and significant differences between the items being compared. If the differences are notable, consider using phrases like "similar to" or "related to" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially identical to" functions as a modifier specifying the degree to which something is the same as something else. It softens the claim of exact sameness, acknowledging minor discrepancies, as seen in Ludwig's examples, particularly within legal and scientific discourse.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

31%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "substantially identical to" is a valuable tool for expressing a high degree of similarity while acknowledging the possibility of minor differences. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically sound and appears frequently in news, science, and encyclopedia sources. It's often used in legal, technical, and business writing to make careful comparisons. When using this phrase, it's essential to be aware of the specific context and the degree of similarity you want to convey and ask yourself what nuances change by using 'substantially' instead of 'exactly'. This approach ensures clarity and accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually the same as

Emphasizes near-perfect similarity, potentially implying only negligible differences.

almost indistinguishable from

Highlights the difficulty in discerning any differences between the items being compared.

essentially equivalent to

Focuses on the functional equivalence despite possible superficial differences.

nearly equivalent to

Indicates a close level of equivalence without being exactly the same.

for all intents and purposes, the same as

Implies that any minor differences are inconsequential in practice.

broadly analogous to

Suggests a strong resemblance or parallel, but not necessarily a direct match.

much the same as

A more informal way of expressing substantial similarity.

closely resembles

Highlights the visual similarity.

bears a strong resemblance to

Emphasizes a pronounced similarity, although not necessarily complete identity.

comparable to

Points out that the objects are very similar and can be easily compared.

FAQs

How can I use "substantially identical to" in a sentence?

You can use "substantially identical to" to describe items or concepts that are very similar but not perfectly the same. For example, "The copy was "substantially identical to" the original design."

What's the difference between "substantially identical to" and "identical to"?

"Identical to" means exactly the same, while "substantially identical to" implies a high degree of similarity but allows for minor differences. It's often used when complete uniformity isn't required or provable.

What can I say instead of "substantially identical to"?

You can use alternatives like "virtually the same as", "essentially equivalent to", or "nearly identical to" depending on the context.

In which contexts is the phrase "substantially identical to" commonly used?

The phrase "substantially identical to" is commonly used in legal, scientific, and business contexts where precise comparisons are necessary but minor variations might exist or are permissible.