student asking question

What does "in a sense" mean?

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Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"In a sense" has a similar meaning to "in a way" or "to a certain extent." This expression is used to lessen the effect or intensity of a statement. For example, rather than directly stating that it is "an unfortunate thing for them," "in a sense" has been used to reduce the statement's effect and indicate that it isn't completely true but only partially the case. Ex: Failing my interview was a blessing, in a sense. It gave me time to focus on other things. Ex: In a sense, the pandemic provided the opportunity for many to reconnect with friends and family.

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