The phrase "words to that effect" is often used to indicate that the speaker is summarizing or paraphrasing something that was said, rather than quoting it directly. However, there are many synonyms that could be used in its place. For example, one could say "roughly speaking," "more or less," "in essence," "basically," or "in summary." Similarly, "to put it another way," "in other words," "stated differently," or "rephrased" are all phrases that could be used to convey a similar idea. The choice of words may depend on the context and tone of the conversation, but all of these phrases can help clarify the intended meaning.