virtually ever

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually ever" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an attempt to express a concept of "almost always" or "nearly every time," but it is not a standard expression. Example: "I have virtually ever been to that restaurant, and I always enjoy the food."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

(It's what virtually ever other senior Republican official did).

The New York Times

Has at some point come into conflict with virtually ever major character in Pacquiao's orbit.

The Guardian - Sport

He moved there in 1992 with his wife, Susie, and they have lived there, happily, virtually ever since.

The New Yorker

Meanwhile, interest groups representing virtually ever sector — the arts, the military, transportation and the like — have been pleading that they cannot absorb such drastic shocks to their systems.

The New York Times

Clinton has Governor Andrew Cuomo campaigning for her, as well as Mayor Bill de Blasio and virtually ever other Democratic leader in New York.

The New Yorker

Virtually ever since Barack Obama edged out Hank Paulson, Bernanke's mate in the foxhole, to nab Time's 2008 award, his approval rating has been dropping.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

For months now, Trump has been virtually ever-present on cable-news networks and broadcast-network political shows.

The New Yorker

Of course, being United manager in 2014 encompasses many more challenges, above and beyond being constantly compared with one's virtually ever-present, ultra-successful predecessor, that Moyes must overcome.

Independent

Kermorgant, restricted to a bit-part role in the Premier League at Bournemouth, has been virtually ever-present under Jaap Stam this season, starting all but one league game under the Dutchman.

The Guardian - Sport

The 3½-inch Questar Standard has remained in production, virtually unchanged, ever since.

The Economist

It will now be virtually impossible ever to hold another free vote on hanging.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "virtually ever" appears in some publications, favor more precise alternatives like "almost always" or "nearly every time" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Don't assume "virtually" is interchangeable with "actually" or "literally". It implies 'almost' or 'nearly', so using it incorrectly can distort your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually ever" functions as an adverbial modifier intended to express a high frequency or near-constant occurrence. As Ludwig AI highlights, however, it's not considered standard English, and therefore, may not effectively convey the intended meaning to all audiences.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Wiki

12%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the expression "virtually ever" is used, and quite frequently, in various sources including news and media, it is not grammatically correct. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is best to use more precise and standard alternatives such as "almost always", "nearly always", or "practically always" to ensure clarity and credibility. Although it's commonly found, especially within news and media sources, it’s best to avoid it in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost always

Replaces "virtually" with "almost", conveying a similar sense of near-total frequency.

nearly always

Substitutes "virtually" with "nearly", indicating a close-to-complete occurrence.

practically always

Uses "practically" instead of "virtually", suggesting a functional equivalence in most cases.

almost every time

Rephrases the idea to focus on individual instances rather than a continuous state.

in almost every instance

Highlights specific occurrences while maintaining the sense of high frequency.

close to always

Emphasizes the proximity to a constant state, though slightly less idiomatic.

approaching always

Suggests a trend toward a constant state, rather than a current condition.

substantially always

Replaces "virtually" with "substantially" conveying a high degree or amount.

routinely

A single word to replace "virtually ever", conveys 'habitually or regularly'.

habitually

A single word to replace "virtually ever", conveys 'regularly or repeatedly'.

FAQs

What does "virtually ever" mean?

While not grammatically standard, "virtually ever" attempts to convey 'almost always' or 'nearly every time'. However, it's best to use those more precise phrases instead.

Is "virtually ever" grammatically correct?

No, "virtually ever" isn't considered grammatically correct. It's better to use phrases like "almost always" or "nearly every time" instead.

What can I say instead of "virtually ever"?

You can use alternatives like "almost always", "nearly always", or "practically always" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "virtually ever" or "almost always"?

"Almost always" is the correct and preferred phrase. "Virtually ever" is considered grammatically incorrect, though it appears in some contexts.