Guide 171 / 200 4 alternatives 2-minute read
Better ways to say “if you will”
A tentative hedge — "if you'll permit the term".
i · Why avoid itTwo lines, no filler
Asks the reader to accept a word the writer isn't sure of. Occasionally charming; more often it signals unearned cleverness. Pick a word you can stand behind and drop the permission slip.
ii · Before & afterDrop-in demo
Before
It's an acquihire, if you will.
After
It's an acquihire.
iii · The alternatives4 ways out
- 01So to speak neutral
near-synonym
It's an acquihire, so to speak.
- 02In a sense neutral
mild hedge
In a sense, it's an acquihire.
- 03[delete it] neutral
most of the time
It's an acquihire.
- 04Loosely speaking neutral
explicit looseness
Loosely speaking, it's an acquihire.
iv · Brew tipKeep this one
If you wouldn't use the word without permission, don't use it.