mehr oder weniger
Translation
more or less, pretty much, basically
Examples
Wir sind mehr oder weniger fertig.
We are more or less finished.
Alle waren mehr oder weniger einverstanden.
Everyone was more or less in agreement.
Grammar Patterns
((Adverbial phrase)) modifies a statement The project is more or less complete.
Similar Words
Synonyms: ungefähr (approximately), fast (almost); Antonyms: genau (exactly), exakt (exact)
Etymology
A direct calque of the English 'more or less', composed of 'mehr' (more), 'oder' (or), and 'weniger' (less).
Memory Tips
This is the most common way to say 'more or less' in German. It's a direct word-for-word translation, making it easy to remember.