virtually successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually successful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or outcome that is successful in a practical sense, even if it may not be entirely perfect or complete. Example: "The project was virtually successful, achieving most of its goals despite some minor setbacks."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The 1940s proved to be Cotten's most successful years; virtually every film he appeared in during the decade is regarded as a classic.

Encyclopedia Britannica

By breaking the.com stranglehold, ICANN's move risks not only further devaluing existing common-noun domains but also sowing enough consumer confusion (is Reuters a.com, a.biz or a.info?) to make any generic domain by itself virtually worthless.Meanwhile, the most successful Internet firms are sticking to old-fashioned brand-building.

The Economist

"Let me tell you about myself," replied Dr Hildegard Wolf, who had become Paris's most successful psychiatrist by virtually ignoring her patients for their first three sessions.

The Guardian - Books

Insects are by virtually any measure the most successful animal group on the planet.

Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior

"By virtually any measure, our company completed the most successful year in its history," O'Neal said in a statement accompanying the earnings announcement.

The New Yorker

Grateful Dead was one of the most successful touring bands in rock history despite having had virtually no radio hits.

Britannica

Nematodes are among the most successful groups of animals: they are abundant, diverse and live in virtually all marine, freshwater and soil habitats.

BMC Ecology

It is one of the most successful scientific theories ever: it is supported by vast and unquestionable empirical and technological effectiveness and is today virtually unchallenged.

SEP

Since the industrial revolution, virtually every successful company has eventually succumbed to it.

The New Yorker

Virtually any successful run play or underneath throw for the Jags was a product not of the play design, but of the ball-carrier making something happen.

The New York Times

But whereas the great banking crash brought virtually no successful prosecutions, Lynch's eastern district of New York reeled in mobsters and wayward cops with equal vigour.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "virtually successful" when conveying that something has achieved its goals and is as close to successful as possible without being perfectly successful.

Common error

Avoid using "virtually successful" when the outcome is truly and completely successful. The term implies near-success, not absolute achievement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "virtually successful" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a state of near or practical success. Ludwig AI shows its usage in contexts where something almost, but not quite, meets the criteria for complete success.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "virtually successful" is a grammatically correct adjective phrase used to describe something that is nearly or effectively successful, even if not completely so. The phrase is suitable for neutral contexts, appearing in news, business, and scientific writing. Ludwig AI shows that, while not extremely common, it serves to provide a positive assessment while acknowledging minor limitations. Consider alternatives like "effectively successful" or "practically successful" for similar meanings. When using this phrase, be mindful not to overstate the degree of success, as it implies near-completion rather than full achievement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

effectively successful

Emphasizes the practical success despite potential shortcomings.

practically successful

Highlights the achievement of intended results in a real-world context.

almost entirely successful

Indicates success with only minor exceptions.

nearly successful

Suggests a high degree of success, stopping just short of complete achievement.

substantially successful

Implies a considerable level of success.

largely successful

Signifies success in most aspects or areas.

in effect successful

Emphasizes the outcome is similar to being successful.

for all practical purposes successful

Highlights that its success is considered a reality.

tantamount to successful

Indicates something almost equivalent to success.

as good as successful

Suggests that the results are similar to being successful.

FAQs

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

You can use "virtually successful" to describe something that has achieved most of its goals but may have some minor imperfections. For example, "The project was "virtually successful", achieving most of its objectives despite a few challenges".

What's the difference between "virtually successful" and "successful"?

"Successful" implies complete achievement, whereas "virtually successful" suggests near-complete success with some caveats. Use "virtually successful" when acknowledging minor shortcomings.

What are some alternatives to "virtually successful"?

You can use alternatives like "effectively successful", "practically successful", or "almost entirely successful" depending on the context.

Is it always appropriate to use "virtually successful"?

No, "virtually successful" is best used when you want to acknowledge that something is close to perfect but has some minor issues preventing it from being completely successful. If something is truly successful, simply use "successful".