virtually no change

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually no change" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there has been an insignificant or minimal alteration in a particular context. Example: "After implementing the new policy, there was virtually no change in employee productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There was virtually no change in the prices of some crops, such as maize and soyabeans.

The Economist

There had been virtually no change in transfusion rates between 2009 and 2010.

The New York Times - Health

Yet there was virtually no change in affordability in cities elsewhere.

The Guardian

"People earning $5m will receive virtually no change in their tax bill at all," he said.

The Guardian

Change: Virtually no change since their last Quinnipiac poll earlier this month.

The Guardian

There has been virtually no change in the proportion of 16 to 34-year-olds living with their parents.

Independent

In contrast, there has been virtually no change in Republicans' views of the G.O.P. field during this period.

The New York Times

His art underwent virtually no change after the 1920s, though his more conservative style brought him financial success.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The median household with an income of $100,000 or more had virtually no change in wealth.

The New York Times

Those making between $30,000 and $40,000 would be hit the hardest, while those making more than $1 million would see virtually no change.

The New York Times

Between 1972 and 1992, there was virtually no change in the proportion of top-job-holders who had been educated at public school and at Oxford or Cambridge.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "virtually no change" to convey that an alteration is so insignificant that it's almost non-existent. This is useful when precise data is available, but the difference is inconsequential.

Common error

Avoid using "virtually no change" when there is a noticeable or significant difference. This phrase is meant to emphasize the lack of meaningful alteration, so ensure the context aligns with this meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually no change" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a noun, indicating the extent to which something has remained constant. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically correct and widely used expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "virtually no change" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a negligible difference or alteration. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is considered grammatically correct and is commonly used across diverse contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias. Its function is to emphasize stability or the lack of meaningful variation. When writing, it's crucial to ensure that the context accurately reflects the minimal nature of the change being described. Alternatives such as "almost no change" or "practically no change" can be used for subtle variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Almost no change

Replaces "virtually" with "almost", indicating a slight difference in emphasis but maintaining the same core meaning.

Practically no change

Substitutes "virtually" with "practically", suggesting the change is so small as to be irrelevant.

Essentially no change

Emphasizes that the change is fundamentally nonexistent or insignificant.

Substantially no change

Highlights the lack of any meaningful or considerable alteration.

Negligible change

Uses an adjective to directly describe the change as insignificant.

Minimal alteration

Replaces "change" with "alteration" and uses "minimal" to denote the small degree of difference.

Hardly any difference

Shifts from focusing on change to emphasizing the lack of difference.

Remained constant

Indicates that the subject did not undergo any change, staying at the same level or state.

Showed no variation

Suggests a lack of fluctuation or deviation from a norm or previous state.

Virtually identical

Focuses on the similarity between two states, implying minimal difference over time or between subjects.

FAQs

How can I use "virtually no change" in a sentence?

Use "virtually no change" to describe situations where an expected or potential alteration did not occur, or the difference is negligible. For example: "After the software update, there was "virtually no change" in the system's performance."

What phrases are similar to "virtually no change"?

Similar phrases include "almost no change", "practically no change", and "essentially no change". These alternatives convey the same idea of a minimal or insignificant difference.

Is it correct to say "virtual no change" instead of "virtually no change"?

No, "virtual no change" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "virtually no change", where "virtually" acts as an adverb modifying "no change".

In what contexts is "virtually no change" most appropriate?

"Virtually no change" is suitable for formal and scientific contexts where precision is important, but the actual difference is too small to be significant. It's also common in news reporting when describing stable trends or results.