until really recently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "until really recently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a time frame that extends up to a short time ago, often implying that something has changed since then. Example: "Until really recently, I believed that the project would be completed on time, but now I see that there are delays."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"Until really recently, the Komen foundation had been praising our breast health programs as essential," Ms. Richards said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But we can forget how we were ringed in with these prejudices until really quite recently.

The New York Times

Until really quite recently, though, the picture wasn't that grim at all.

The Guardian

"The way black women are portrayed in film has never been in the hands of black women – until really very recently – and so there are certain stereotypes people are comfortable with".

The Guardian

Until really very recently, these were perceived as exclusively scaly given their relative evolutionary distance from the theropods and the fact that we have numerous skin impressions and bits of mummified skin for quite a few of them.

The Guardian

"The thing is that until really quite recently, you needed at least a desktop or you needed literally a server farm to take imagery in, run convolutional neural networks against them, do semantic analysis and then spit something out".

TechCrunch

I was in combat as a teenager, and was a teenager for a very long time, until recently really, which is probably why she kicked me out so often.

The New York Times - Magazine

UNTIL recently, they were rivals.

The Economist

"What happened when he started to do really well?" "Oh, he didn't do really well until just recently.

The New Yorker

"We had been looking for the remains of the earliest modern humans in Indonesia, so when we found the skeleton of a completely new species of human, with so many primitive traits and that survived until so recently, it really opened up a whole can of prehistoric worms.

The Guardian

He was not successful in his day, but his work became a basis for later research, which did not really begin until quite recently.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "until really recently" to emphasize a change that has occurred in the immediate past, especially when contrasting a previous state. For example: "Until really recently, the company focused on traditional marketing methods."

Common error

Avoid overuse of "really" as it can weaken your writing. Consider stronger alternatives or rephrasing the sentence. For example, instead of "Until really recently, the situation was dire", try "The situation improved only recently."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "until really recently" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying the duration of a state or action. It indicates a time frame that extends up to a short time ago, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "until really recently" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating a timeframe ending shortly before the present. While grammatically correct and found primarily in news and media contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig, it's important to consider more formal alternatives like "until very recently" depending on the writing context. Overusing "really" for emphasis should be avoided for stronger, more concise writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Until very recently

Substitutes "really" with "very", offering a more concise alternative.

Until quite recently

Replaces "really" with "quite", providing a slightly more formal tone.

Up until recently

Adds "up" for emphasis, highlighting the duration leading to the recent change.

Not long ago

Offers a simpler, more general way to indicate a short time in the past.

Just recently

Focuses on the recency of the event or change, omitting the "until" component.

In the recent past

Provides a more descriptive and slightly more formal alternative.

Lately

A single-word alternative that indicates a period close to the present.

Of late

A slightly archaic but still valid alternative to "lately".

In recent times

A more emphatic way of stating "in the recent past".

Up to the present day

Focuses on the entire period leading to now, implying an ongoing state.

FAQs

What does "until really recently" mean?

The phrase "until really recently" means up to a short time ago. It indicates that something was true or the case until a very recent point in time, implying a change has occurred. It's similar to saying "until very recently" or "just recently".

Is it correct to say "until really recently"?

Yes, "until really recently" is grammatically correct and understandable. As Ludwig AI explains, it is usable in written English, though alternatives might offer more concision or formality.

When should I use "until really recently" in a sentence?

Use "until really recently" when you want to emphasize that a situation has only changed in the very near past. For example, "Until really recently, I thought he was still living abroad."

What are some alternatives to "until really recently"?

Some alternatives to "until really recently" include "until very recently", "until quite recently", "not long ago", and "just recently". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired tone.