virtually was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "virtually was" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that something was almost or nearly the case, but not entirely. Example: "The event virtually was a success, despite some minor issues." Alternative expressions include "almost was" and "nearly was."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

That's true, but it still seems odd that Palin's husband, Todd, was given a free pass, and virtually was never required to speak during the campaign; no candidate's wife has ever been left so unscrutinized.

The New Yorker

AL Shilpi Kapoor, BarrierBreak, India A turning point in my career was when I realised that my boss, who I had only met virtually, was paralysed all the time I had known him.

The Guardian

And as "Cropsey" takes pains to illustrate, Staten Island itself had already been victimized as a kind of dumping ground for New York City: its garbage was dumped there, its mentally ill were warehoused there, and the borough itself virtually was ignored.

The New York Times

He is not as powerful as he was in the 1990s, when he virtually was the market, but he remains the most successful art futures' dealer in London: buying young artists cheap, selling them dear, and able to ruin their careers by dumping them if their prices don't meet his expectations.

The Guardian - Opinion

"There were two men present there, they weren't introduced, and all they said, virtually, was was I interested in confidential war work.

BBC

Ms. Macy, a veteran and former police detective, initially applied for the position as male and was told that she virtually was guaranteed the job.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Losing weight, virtually, is that simple.

The New York Times

The other will virtually be eliminated.

Huffington Post

HCN1 and HCN2 transcripts virtually were undetectable at embryonic stages.

Basic Research in Cardiology

HCN1 and HCN3 transcripts virtually were absent (Fig.  1c).

Basic Research in Cardiology

Virtually everything was for babies.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "virtually was" to accurately convey that something approached a certain state or condition without fully achieving it. Ensure the context clearly indicates what the subject nearly became.

Common error

Avoid using "virtually was" when a condition was fully met. The phrase implies approximation, not completion. If something definitively happened, use "was" without qualification.

Linguistic Context

Virtually was functions as a qualifier, modifying the verb "was" to indicate a state or condition that was nearly, but not fully, realized. This phrase adds a sense of approximation. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "virtually was" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that something approached a specific state or condition without fully reaching it. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While "virtually was" is not exceedingly common, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. Related phrases, such as "almost was" and "nearly was", offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality. When using "virtually was", ensure that the context clearly implies approximation rather than completion. Avoid using it when the condition was fully met. The expert rating, based on grammatical correctness, source authority, and usage consistency, is 4.5 out of 5, underscoring its reliability and effectiveness in appropriate contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

practically was

Replaces "virtually" with "practically", offering a very similar meaning with a slightly more informal tone.

almost was

Uses "almost" instead of "virtually", providing a more direct and common way to express nearness to a state or condition.

nearly was

Employs "nearly" in place of "virtually", indicating a close approximation but not complete actuality.

effectively was

Substitutes "virtually" with "effectively", suggesting that although not technically so, the result was the same.

in effect was

Similar to "effectively was", this phrase highlights the practical consequence or outcome.

tantamount to being

Indicates equivalence in effect or value, which is a stronger implication than "virtually was".

amounted to being

Suggests that the situation or action was equivalent to being something, though not explicitly stated.

approached being

Indicates that something came close to a particular state, without actually reaching it.

bordered on being

Suggests that a situation was on the verge of being something, often implying a negative connotation.

might as well have been

Expresses that the outcome was so close to being a certain way that it makes little difference.

FAQs

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

Use "virtually was" to express that something almost reached a certain state, but not entirely. For example, "The project "virtually was" a success, but faced some minor setbacks".

What phrases can I use instead of "virtually was"?

Alternatives include "almost was", "nearly was", or "practically was", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is there a difference between "virtually was" and "actually was"?

"Virtually was" indicates something approached a state without fully reaching it, while "actually was" confirms that something definitively reached that state.

When is it appropriate to use "virtually was" instead of just "was"?

Use "virtually was" when the situation or condition was close to being true, but not entirely. This adds a nuance of approximation that "was" alone lacks.