Sort of / Kinda

[1261] More or less

🎲 To some extent
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • Means approximately, roughly, or about.
  • Can also mean essentially or to some extent.

Origin

  • A standard English phrase, likely a parallel construction found in other languages (e.g., French plus ou moins).
  • It's been used for centuries to indicate approximation or essential equivalence.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Approximately
  • Roughly
  • About
  • Around
  • Pretty much
  • Basically
  • Essentially
  • Give or take
  • In the ballpark of

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Pretty much
  • Basically
  • Kinda / Sorta
  • -ish (suffix, e.g., It took an hour-ish)

More Precise/Formal:

  • Approximately
  • Roughly
  • Essentially
  • To a significant extent

Situational Appropriateness

  • Generally acceptable in informal and semi-formal situations.
  • Might seem evasive or imprecise in highly formal contexts demanding accuracy (e.g., scientific reports, legal documents).

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Learners might not grasp that it implies approximation or slight incompleteness, potentially taking it as a 'yes'.

Examples

  • Is the report finished? More or less.
  • It took more or less an hour.
  • Are they the same thing? More or less.

Dialogue

Sarah: Did you manage to fix the leaky faucet?

Ben: More or less. The dripping has stopped, but I think it might need a proper replacement soon.

Sarah: Okay, well, at least it's not dripping now. Thanks.

Social Media Examples

  • Post: Cleaned out my inbox! Well... more or less. Still 50 emails left, but progress! #productivity
  • Reply: Q: Is the new software update stable? A: More or less. A few minor bugs reported but mostly okay.

Response Patterns

  • Okay, got it.
  • Alright.
  • So, what's still left? (If referring to completion)
  • Could you be more specific? (If needing precision)

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After hearing More or less regarding completion/status:

  • Ask for specifics: What exactly still needs doing?, So, closer to 'more' done or 'less' done?.

After hearing More or less regarding quantity/time:

  • Accept the approximation: Okay, close enough.
  • Ask for a better estimate if needed: Can you give me a rougher number?.

Conversation Starter

  • No. Usually a response or mid-conversation qualifier.

Intonation

  • Often said with even stress on more and less, or slightly more emphasis on less. MORE or LESS.
  • Can have a slightly hesitant or flat intonation, indicating approximation.

Generation Differences

  • Common across most age groups.

Regional Variations

  • Widely used across all major English-speaking regions.
Sort of / Kinda
🎲 To some extent