virtually nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

'virtually nothing' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to emphasize that there is very little of something. For example: After the burglary, she was left with virtually nothing.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Virtually nothing.

The New Yorker

Virtually nothing has been disbursed.

The Economist

The words reveal virtually nothing.

The New York Times

Americans save virtually nothing.

The New York Times

Business has paid virtually nothing," she argued.

Independent

The haves can borrow for virtually nothing.

The New York Times

They achieve, not surprisingly, virtually nothing.

The Economist

Collectively they achieved virtually nothing.

The Guardian

So page-counting tells you virtually nothing.

The Washington Post

Now there is virtually nothing," he explains.

The Guardian

The company spends virtually nothing on advertising.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "virtually nothing" to emphasize the near absence of something, creating a stronger impact than simply saying "almost nothing". It's suitable when the quantity or effect is so minimal it's practically non-existent.

Common error

While acceptable, relying too heavily on "virtually nothing" can make your writing sound repetitive. Mix it up with "next to nothing" or "hardly anything" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually nothing" functions as an intensifier of negation. It emphasizes the minimal quantity or effect of something, making it nearly equivalent to zero. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Academia

13%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "virtually nothing" is a frequently used phrase that serves to strongly emphasize the near absence of something. As Ludwig confirms, it is grammatically correct and appropriate for diverse contexts. Its frequent occurrence in news and media, as well as academic writing, suggests its versatility. While effective, consider using alternatives like "almost nothing" or "next to nothing" to prevent repetition and maintain engagement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost nothing

Replaces "virtually" with "almost", creating a slight change in nuance, still indicating a near-zero quantity.

practically nothing

Substitutes "virtually" with "practically", offering a synonym with almost identical meaning.

next to nothing

Replaces "virtually nothing" with an idiomatic expression, emphasizing the insignificance of the amount.

hardly anything

Offers a slightly less emphatic alternative, suggesting that very little exists or occurs.

scarcely anything

Emphasizes the rarity or lack of something, presenting a slightly more formal alternative.

almost nil

Replaces "nothing" with "nil", a term indicating a complete absence or zero quantity.

barely anything

Conveys a sense of something existing at a minimal level, slightly weaker than "virtually nothing".

effectively nothing

Highlights the lack of practical impact or consequence, focusing on the result rather than the quantity.

essentially nothing

Indicates that the core or fundamental aspect is absent, shifting the focus to the essence of the matter.

a negligible amount

Replaces the entire phrase with a more descriptive term, specifying that the quantity is so small it can be disregarded.

FAQs

How can I use "virtually nothing" in a sentence?

You can use "virtually nothing" to emphasize that something is almost completely absent. For example: "After the fire, they were left with "virtually nothing"." or "The project achieved "virtually nothing" despite the effort."

What's a more formal way to say "virtually nothing"?

In formal writing, consider using phrases like "a negligible amount", or "scarcely anything" instead of "virtually nothing" for a more refined tone.

What can I say instead of "virtually nothing"?

You can use alternatives like "almost nothing", "practically nothing", or "next to nothing" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "virtually nothing" and "almost nothing"?

While similar, "virtually nothing" implies an even closer proximity to zero than "almost nothing". "Virtually" suggests that for all practical purposes, something doesn't exist or have an effect.