that approximately means

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that approximately means" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to clarify or explain the meaning of something in a way that is not exact but close enough. Example: "The term 'sustainable development' that approximately means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

That still means that approximately as many as two out of every thousand keys would not be secure.

The New York Times - Tech

This means that approximately 64% of all patients at the Oncology Department should be ideally treated with opioids.

BMC Palliative Care

That means approximately 1 in 5 adults are exposed to some type of mental illness annually.

HuffPost

That means approximately one in six of the candidates who ran is under investigation.

The New York Times

That means approximately 22.3 million Americans are at risk from the consumption of force-fed foie gras.

Huffington Post

That means approximately 5,000 college students will be more aware and better equipped to become leaders in a highly complex, diverse, and global world.

HuffPost

That means approximately 20% of drinking water systems included in P hATE have critical low-flow PECs greater than those used in this analysis.

Environmental Health Perspectives

With about 90 calories (pure carbs) per glass that meant approximately 270 calories for dinner.

Forbes

These surveys generally estimate that approximately 4 5% had mean exposures > 0.3 μT with the exception of Korea where 7.8% had mean exposures > 0.3 μT.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Portuguese explorers thought it stupid, giving it a name that means approximately what it does in English.

The New York Times

If 6percentt of them have a mortgage over $500,000, that means approximately 2.5percentt of Americans are paying mortgages on homes valued at $500,000 or more.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "that approximately means", ensure the context allows for a degree of imprecision. Avoid using it in situations where exactness is crucial.

Common error

Avoid using "that approximately means" when a more precise term or explanation is available. Overusing approximations can undermine the clarity and accuracy of your writing.

Linguistic Context

Grammatically, "that approximately means" serves as a discourse marker. It introduces a clarification or explanation of a preceding statement. It frames the subsequent information as an approximate or inexact interpretation. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used to elaborate or simplify complex ideas.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that approximately means" serves to provide an inexact but close meaning. While grammatically correct, it's crucial to ensure the context permits imprecision. Alternatives include "that roughly means" or "that signifies about". Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is intended to simplify understanding, balancing precision with accessibility. Given the absence of exact matches from Ludwig, usage frequency is classified as missing. Therefore, caution should be exercised in contexts requiring utmost accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that roughly means

Replaces "approximately" with "roughly", indicating a similar level of imprecision.

that signifies about

Uses "signifies about" instead of "means approximately", slightly altering the phrasing but conveying a similar meaning.

that suggests around

Employs "suggests around" to imply an approximate meaning or implication.

that indicates nearly

Substitutes "means approximately" with "indicates nearly", suggesting a close but not exact meaning.

that implies something like

Rephrases the idea using "implies something like", indicating an inexact comparison.

that is akin to

Uses "is akin to" to express a resemblance or similarity in meaning, rather than an exact equivalence.

that corresponds roughly to

Employs "corresponds roughly to" to convey an approximate correlation in meaning.

that is virtually

Utilizes "is virtually" to indicate a near or practical equivalence, though not strictly identical.

that equates to something close to

Expresses the concept using "equates to something close to", emphasizing the lack of precise equivalence.

that translates loosely to

Indicates a less precise translation or interpretation using "translates loosely to".

FAQs

How can I use "that approximately means" in a sentence?

Use "that approximately means" to clarify the meaning of something in a way that isn't exact but conveys a close enough understanding. For example, "The term 'sustainable development' "that approximately means" meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

What can I say instead of "that approximately means"?

You can use alternatives like "that roughly translates to" or "that can be interpreted as" depending on the context.

Is it always appropriate to use "that approximately means", or are there situations where it's better to be more precise?

While "that approximately means" is useful for conveying a general understanding, it's best to opt for more precise language when accuracy is paramount. In scientific or technical writing, for example, providing exact definitions or measurements is often preferable.

What's the difference between "that approximately means" and "that exactly means"?

"That approximately means" indicates an estimation or a close interpretation, while "that exactly means" denotes a precise and accurate definition. Use the former when you're providing a general sense and the latter when specificity is needed.