more or less

Idioms  

1. Approximately, as in The truck will hold nine yards of dirt, more or less . This usage was first recorded in 1589.

2. Basically, essentially, as in We more or less agree on the substance of the letter . This usage was first recorded about 1225.

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Example Sentences

To think most people wrote off Sunderland and now they are in a situation where they are more or less safe before Christmas.

From BBC

Commercial sailors generally spend about six months at sea each year, broken into smaller stints, though they may work more or less.

From The Wall Street Journal

I more or less said to myself: 'Just do your best.'

From BBC

TikTok has recently launched a new tool which allows users to shape their feed - this includes being able to see more or less AI generated content.

From BBC

Economists are split on whether it will move then or during the first month of 2026, but most think a rate hike is more or less a done deal.

From The Wall Street Journal