until somewhat recently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "until somewhat recently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a time period that extends up to a point that is not very far in the past. Example: "Until somewhat recently, the company had been struggling to keep up with industry standards."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But until somewhat recently, there were only a handful of places to eat in this part of the city.

The New York Times

Simply put, Brett Ratner used a crude, but (until somewhat recently) commonly accepted term that has its origins as an anti-gay slur.

Huffington Post

Similar to patients with SCD, until somewhat recently, patients with cystic fibrosis rarely lived until adulthood, marking this as a disease with significant sequelae and high mortality.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

I'd found them somewhat recently. .

Vice

Until recently.

Forbes

That was unthinkable until pretty recently".

The New York Times

UNTIL recently, they were rivals.

The Economist

UNTIL recently, Serbia was an authoritarian state.

The Economist

Twitter has, until recently, appeared somewhat less focused.

The Guardian - Tech

But this wider engineering community, with a collective membership of more than 400,000 professionally qualified people, has, until recently, felt somewhat undervalued by the politicians and policy-makers steering the British economy.

Independent

JOHN CROWLEY'S sweeping new novel begins in 1961, and its sensibility is pure cold war -- it is filled with the sort of paranoiac tendencies and conspiracy theories that have until recently seemed somewhat ridiculous, relics of a time safely past.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "until somewhat recently", ensure the context clearly establishes the point of reference for 'recently'. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "until somewhat recently" when referring to events that happened several years ago. The term implies a relatively short timeframe; otherwise, choose a more specific time reference.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "until somewhat recently" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a timeframe that extends to a point not very distant in the past. It provides temporal context, specifying when a particular situation or condition existed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "until somewhat recently" is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to indicate a situation that persisted until a relatively short time ago. Ludwig confirms its correctness and provides examples from diverse sources like The New York Times and scientific publications. While "until somewhat recently" is relatively rare, with limited instances in the provided examples, it serves to provide temporal context, conveying that a situation has changed or a condition has altered in the near past. Related phrases include "until fairly recently" and "up until a short time ago". The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts and it has a neutral register. When using "until somewhat recently", clarity is key and avoid overstating the 'recentness' of the referenced time frame.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

until recently

Removes "somewhat" to offer a more direct statement about a change that occurred not long ago. Loses the nuance of "somewhat".

until fairly recently

Replaces "somewhat" with "fairly", providing a slightly stronger emphasis on the recentness of the change.

until just recently

Emphasizes the immediacy of the recent past by using "just" to modify "recently".

up until a short time ago

Uses a more descriptive phrase to convey the idea of a recent past, replacing "until recently" with "up until a short time ago".

until lately

Uses the adverb "lately" to indicate a period ending in the recent past.

until a little while ago

Replaces "somewhat recently" with a more colloquial expression suggesting a short period of time.

not long ago

Offers a simpler and more informal way to express a similar timeframe, focusing on the brevity of the past period.

until the very recent past

Emphasizes the recency by adding "very" to the expression.

in the recent past

Presents the idea as a general observation about the recent past, rather than a specific cutoff point.

until the immediate past

Replaces the vague "somewhat recently" with the more specific "immediate past", increasing formality.

FAQs

What does "until somewhat recently" mean?

It means up to a time that is not very far in the past, implying that a change has occurred. It's similar to saying "until fairly recently" or "up until a short time ago".

How can I use "until somewhat recently" in a sentence?

For example, "Until somewhat recently, the company relied heavily on traditional marketing methods." This indicates that the company has changed its marketing approach in the recent past.

What are some alternatives to "until somewhat recently"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "not long ago", "until just recently", or "in the recent past".

Is "until somewhat recently" formal or informal?

It leans towards a neutral to slightly formal register. Simpler alternatives like "until lately" might be more appropriate in informal contexts.