substantially unique

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially unique" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is significantly different or distinct from others in a meaningful way. Example: "The artist's style is substantially unique, setting her apart from her contemporaries."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

We manually identified tracking cookies (cookies that appeared to contain a unique identifier or substantially unique information) and how they were altered throughout each test.

Stanford University

"This is kind of wild; it strikes me as a substantially unique application of the RICO Act," he said, referring to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which the Justice Department is relying on.

The New York Times

PersonalWeb Technologies et. al. v. Rackspace et. al. Data processing system using substantially unique identifiers to identify data items, whereby identical data items.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Previous studies that have found evidence of G × G interactions in the legume-rhizobia symbiosis investigated substantially more unique genotype × genotype combinations compared with the number used in this experiment [ e.g. Heath and Tiffin (2007), Laguerre et al. (2007), Rangin et al. (2008), Heath (2010), and Heath et al. (2010)].

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

"Our research shows that beliefs about what it takes to 'think creatively' overlap substantially with the unique content of male stereotypes, creating systematic bias in the way that men and women's creativity is evaluated," said lead researcher Devon Proudfoot of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Independent

SABMiller said: "The board, excluding the directors nominated by Altria Group Inc ,has unanimously rejected the £42.15 proposal as it still very substantially undervalues SABMiller, its unique and unmatched footprint, and its standalone prospects".

The Guardian - Business

Vinay Ambegaokar, the Goldwin Smith Professor of Physics Emeritus, has been awarded the 2015 John Bardeen Prize in recognition of his theoretical research, which has substantially advanced understanding of unique and fundamental features of superconductivity.

Cornell University

Using a similar approach also proved useful against the attack scheme considered by de Montjoye et al., as Song et al. show in [198] that changing the ID of each user every six hours reduces substantially the fraction of unique trajectories in the dataset.

EPJ Data Science

These 100 trees are replicated the required number of times to create a tree list for any density (trees/ha), and a small amount of random noise is added to each DBH and HT, to make each tree record unique without substantially changing the distribution.

Forest Ecosystems

It is interesting to note that the gene order of S. stercoralis mtDNA is unique, differing substantially from those of other rhabditid taxa whose complete sequence has been reported so far [ 19].

BMC Genomics

Mapping of the reads to the brown bear mtDNA reference genome (NC_003427.1) varied substantially between specimens: CGG_1_0200005 yielded 92 unique reads; CGG_1_0200006 18,612 unique reads; and CGG_1_0200007 44 unique reads (Table 1).

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially unique", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the significant degree of difference you are emphasizing. It's most effective when comparing or contrasting with other items or concepts that lack this level of distinction.

Common error

Avoid using "substantially unique" when the difference is minimal or subjective. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and credibility. Instead, reserve it for situations where the distinction is clear, objective, and significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially unique" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating a significant degree of distinctiveness. This is supported by Ludwig, which provides examples where the phrase describes properties or attributes.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "substantially unique" is a grammatically sound and relatively rare expression used to emphasize a significant degree of distinctiveness or originality. Ludwig's AI confirms its usability in English. It functions as an adjective phrase and commonly appears in academic, news, and scientific contexts. While sources are varied, its impact is most felt when highlighting notable differences. When writing, it's crucial to ensure the context justifies the emphasis on uniqueness, avoiding overuse. The expression is best reserved for instances where the distinction is clear, objective, and significant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly distinct

Replaces "substantially" with "significantly", highlighting the notable difference.

markedly different

Uses "markedly" to emphasize the noticeable contrast or variance.

considerably distinct

Emphasizes the degree of difference using "considerably".

noticeably unique

Highlights the ease with which the uniqueness can be observed.

remarkably original

Shifts focus to originality, using "remarkably" to denote its impressiveness.

appreciably different

Uses "appreciably" to suggest a difference that is easily perceived or measured.

distinctively singular

Combines distinctiveness with the concept of being one of a kind.

uniquely substantial

Reverses the order, emphasizing the substantial nature of the uniqueness.

singularly uncommon

Highlights the unusual nature by using "uncommon" instead of "unique".

exceptionally individual

Focuses on the individuality, emphasizing its exceptional quality.

FAQs

How can I use "substantially unique" in a sentence?

You can use "substantially unique" to describe something that is significantly different or distinct from others. For example: "The artist's style is substantially unique, setting her apart from her contemporaries."

What are some alternatives to "substantially unique"?

You can use alternatives like "significantly distinct", "markedly different", or "considerably distinct" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "unique" and "substantially unique"?

"Unique" means being the only one of its kind. "Substantially unique" implies a significant degree of difference, but not necessarily being the only one of its kind. Something can be substantially unique if it differs in important aspects from other similar things, even if it's not strictly one-of-a-kind.

When is it appropriate to use "substantially unique"?

It is appropriate to use "substantially unique" when you want to emphasize that something is not just slightly different, but significantly and importantly distinct from others in its category. Reserve it for situations where the difference is clear and impactful.