Cool MateAround vs Roughly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Around
Top 1,000 (very common)A1preposition
Roughly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Around
| Around | Roughly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈraʊnd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈraʊnd/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrʌfli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrʌfli/"]/ |
| Meaning | in a circular direction; nearby | Approximately, not exactly |
| Example | The house is built around a central courtyard. | Sales are up by roughly 10 per cent. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | preposition | adverb |
| Collocations | look around, turn around, walk around, get around, set around | roughly speaking, roughly estimated, roughly the same, roughly translates |
| Antonyms | away, outside | exactly, precisely |
| Common mistakes | 'Around' confused with 'around about' (wrong context)., Using 'around' when only specifying one direction., Omitting the preposition when combined with a location. | Used in place of 'exactly' or 'precisely'., Incorrectly placed at the end of the sentence., Confused with 'rough' as an adjective. |
| Usage notes | Use 'around' to describe movement in a circular way or location close to something. Avoid it in highly formal contexts. | Use 'roughly' when you want to give an estimate or approximation. It’s neutral and suitable for most contexts, but avoid in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Around vs Roughly
What's the difference between Around and Roughly?
Around: in a circular direction; nearby Roughly: Approximately, not exactly
Which is more common: Around and Roughly?
Around is the most common in everyday English.
Are Around and Roughly the same CEFR level?
Around: A1, Roughly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Around and Roughly interchangeably?
Not always. Around and Roughly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.