within a tolerance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "within a tolerance" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts involving measurements, specifications, or limits, indicating that something is acceptable as long as it falls within a defined range. Example: "The dimensions of the part must be maintained within a tolerance of ±0.01 mm to ensure proper fit."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

The formation must maintain the relative spacecraft separations to within a tolerance of a few metres.

Acta Astronautica

While that would be higher than the government's year-end target of 5.5percentt, it would still be within a tolerance band of 2.5 percentage points.

The New York Times

Secondly, the algorithm is guaranteed to give results within a tolerance of the global maximum, and this tolerance may be freely chosen by the analyst.

International Journal of Fatigue

All lens apertures have been milled employing a focused ion beam and could thus be precisely aligned within a tolerance of about 300 nm from the optical axis.

Ultramicroscopy

The algorithm also has the potential to give all paths of equal lengths contributing to shortest paths (within a tolerance level).

Computer-Aided Design

By electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) analysis, the percentage of the cubic textured component in the Ni 7 at.% W tape surface was found to reach 97.0% within a tolerance angle smaller than 10°.

Acta Materialia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

The predicted isotopic signatures for the mixture are compared with the observed signatures and if they fit within a small tolerance (i.e. 'mass balance tolerance'; Beatty 2006) it is therefore considered feasible and recorded.

International Aquatic Research

"With Suboxone, I developed a tolerance within a week.

The New York Times - Health

% within a small tolerance.

Yale University

If they are equal within a given tolerance, the knot and are removed.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

We then describe a proposed algorithm for finding global solutions approximately within a prescribed tolerance.

Advances in Engineering Software

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "within a tolerance", clearly specify the units of measurement (e.g., ±0.01 mm, 5%). This ensures that the acceptable range is unambiguously defined.

Common error

Avoid stating "within a tolerance" without specifying the tolerance range. Saying something is "within a tolerance" is meaningless without quantifying that tolerance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "within a tolerance" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a noun or verb, indicating that something is acceptable or valid as long as it remains inside a defined range of values. As seen in Ludwig, it's frequently associated with specifications and measurements.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

Academia

15%

News & Media

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "within a tolerance" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to specify that something falls inside an acceptable range of variation. Predominantly found in scientific and academic contexts, according to Ludwig's analysis, it's crucial to explicitly define the tolerance value when using this phrase. Common alternatives include "within acceptable limits" and "within defined limits". When writing technical documentation it's recommended to define specific measurement units for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inside an acceptable range

Replaces "tolerance" with a more general term "range" and uses "acceptable" to describe the range.

within defined limits

Substitutes "tolerance" with the more formal term "limits" and emphasizes that these limits are clearly defined.

within permissible boundaries

Employs more formal vocabulary like "permissible" and "boundaries" to convey a sense of authorization and constraint.

under a certain margin of error

Focuses on the concept of error, common in scientific contexts, and uses "margin" to indicate the allowable deviation.

subject to a permitted variation

Uses "permitted variation" to highlight the allowance for slight differences from the norm or standard.

inside the error budget

Implies a predetermined allocation for errors, suggesting a controlled and planned deviation.

in compliance with allowable deviations

Replaces "tolerance" with a more formal term and emphasizes adherence to pre-approved deviations.

meeting specified criteria

Shifts focus to meeting predetermined conditions or standards, rather than specifically addressing tolerance.

conforming to established parameters

Highlights agreement with set guidelines or measurable factors, moving away from the idea of an error range.

in accordance with allowable discrepancy

Emphasizes agreement with a recognized deviation or difference, often in formal or legal contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "within a tolerance" in a sentence?

Use "within a tolerance" to specify that a value or measurement falls within an acceptable range. For example, "The components must be aligned "within a tolerance" of 0.1 degrees."

What phrases are similar to "within a tolerance"?

Alternatives include "within acceptable limits", "within defined limits", or "inside an acceptable range".

Is it correct to say "within tolerance" without the article 'a'?

While grammatically acceptable in some contexts, "within a tolerance" is more common and generally clearer. Using the article "a" emphasizes that there's a specific, quantified tolerance being referred to.

What does it mean when something is described as being "within a tolerance"?

It means that the item or measurement meets a required specification, even if it's not exact, so long as it falls within a defined permissible range of variation.