virtually completely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually completely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is almost entirely true or done, with only a small exception remaining. Example: "The project is virtually completely finished, with just a few minor details left to address."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

"The civilian population in Sarajevo was virtually completely encircled... [they were] trapped".

The Guardian

All variables were virtually completely suppressed after treatment with 5 mg/kg SSA.

Neuroscience Letters

Due to insufficient perfusion, arterial blood glucose was virtually completely extracted which resulted in a very low glucose level in the sagittal sinus (Table 2).

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

In general, remanent magnetization in siltstones was largely demagnetized by 80 mT during stepwise AFD and virtually completely unblocked at 300 350 °C during stepwise ThD.

Earth, Planets and Space

* Virtually completely unknown to the blogosphere * Literally in a garage right now (see attached picture) * Underpaid * Overworked * Chomping at the bit to show the world what RULE is made of.

TechCrunch

Albeit virtually completely cut off from the international financial system, North Korea has more or less adapted to the sanctions regime and has even managed to eke out some economic growth over the recent years.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

For luminal contents score, a pathologist assigned each animal a single score in a blinded manner on a scale of 0 10, with 0 representing no luminal contents on average and 10 representing virtually all ducts completely occluded by inspissated, eosinophilic contents; data are presented as the mean score of each genotype.

CMGH Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology

The amount of dark pigment on the belly varies from virtually nothing to almost completely black.

Wikipedia

On the contrary, in inhibitory synapses on granule neurons from Syn II−/− adult symptomatic mice, the delayed asynchronous release was almost completely missing and virtually unresponsive to the stimulation frequency (Fig. 1 a, b).

Cerebral Cortex

Importantly, in our study virtually all subjects were completely edentulous (41 out of 44).

BioMed Research International

Therefore, the database is considered to completely capture virtually all births in Victoria that fulfil reporting requirements.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing processes or projects, use "virtually completely" to convey a high degree of completion while acknowledging minor remaining tasks. For example: "The software debugging is virtually completely done, with just a few UI tweaks remaining."

Common error

Avoid using "virtually completely" when describing situations that are truly 100% complete. Using the phrase implies a small degree of incompleteness or remaining imperfection. If something is truly finished, state it directly: "The task is complete".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually completely" functions as an adverbial modifier, intensifying the degree to which something is complete. As Ludwig AI exemplifies, it qualifies verbs and adjectives, indicating a state that is close to, but not necessarily 100%, complete.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

71%

News & Media

17%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "virtually completely" is a common and grammatically sound way to express near-total completion. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use is most prevalent in scientific and news contexts, and implies a high degree of completeness with a minor caveat. When using the term, ensure you’re not overstating absolute completion and that more precise language isn't required. Remember that context is important and that there are situations that require to be more precise, or even use alternative synonyms (such as ""almost entirely"") to provide the best expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost entirely

Focuses on the extent of completion or coverage.

practically complete

Emphasizes the practical aspect of being finished.

nearly finished

Highlights the proximity to the end state.

substantially done

Indicates a large portion is completed.

largely over

Suggests the main part is finished.

essentially all

Highlights that almost all elements are included or affected.

to all intents and purposes finished

A more formal idiom suggesting effective completion.

close to completion

Indicates the project is approaching the final stage.

nearing perfection

Emphasizes the closeness to an ideal state.

well-nigh complete

An archaic term indicating near completeness.

FAQs

How can I use "virtually completely" in a sentence?

Use "virtually completely" to indicate something is nearly, but not quite, fully finished or realized. For instance, "The restoration of the painting is "almost entirely" complete" suggests only minor touch-ups are left.

What's the difference between "virtually completely" and "literally completely"?

"Virtually completely" implies near completion, whereas "literally completely" signifies absolute completion. Using "literally completely" can sometimes be seen as redundant, as 'completely' already implies 'literally'.

Are there situations where I shouldn't use "virtually completely"?

Avoid using "virtually completely" in contexts where absolute precision is required, such as legal documents or scientific data, where any degree of incompleteness could be critical. Instead, quantify the degree of completion or use precise terminology.

What are some alternatives to "virtually completely"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include ""almost entirely"", "practically complete", or "nearly finished". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.