What does “pretty much” mean?
Pretty much means “basically” or “almost.” People use it to agree with a summary, or to say something is nearly true, nearly complete, or the same in most cases.
When people say it
- To say “yes, that’s basically right”: “Pretty much.”
- Before a very small amount, to mean “almost none”: “Pretty much nothing.”
- Before a description, to mean “mostly like this”: “It’s pretty much the same everywhere.”
- To shorten a longer explanation: “Pretty much, yeah.”
Tone: It is casual and very common in speech; it is fine in everyday English, but less common in formal writing.
In 10 of Lin's scenes
Real lines from the scenes. Open one to watch it and say it yourself.
Shadow
Line by line
Other ways to say it
Very close in meaning; a little more direct.
Means roughly true, often with a small limit or exception.
Good when you mean nearly, but it cannot replace every use of “pretty much.”
Quick answers
Can “pretty much” mean “yes” by itself?
Yes. If someone gives a summary and you agree, “Pretty much” means “Yes, that is basically right.”
Is “pretty much” the same as “almost”?
Sometimes, but not always. In “pretty much nothing,” it is close to “almost no,” but in “Pretty much,” it means “basically,” not “almost.”