Expand understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Expand understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when encouraging someone to deepen their knowledge or comprehension of a subject. Example: "The goal of this workshop is to expand understanding of the complex issues surrounding climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

As nanoparticle (NP -mediated drug delivery research coNP -mediatedxpandrugndeliverying paresearch that govern NP interacontinuesto thexpandogical environment becomes paramounderstanding

Journal of Controlled Release

Because the work of these and other talented women has now been published over the course of many years, it's easy to forget that there was a time when their styles and choices were startling for the pages of The Times, when pictures were chosen more to illustrate than to expand understanding.

The New York Times

Like Li, he employs mouse models to expand understanding of our own bodies.

The Guardian

To expand understanding of presentation, diagnosis, and outcomes of hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis (HORV).

Ophthalmology

Ms. Monsky's activities generated more than $14 million for research and helped expand understanding of the disease.

The New York Times

In this exploratory study, we aimed to expand understanding of student perspectives regarding on-campus abortion services.

Contraception

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Do not expand before understanding why you have succeeded to-date.

Forbes

A greatly expanded understanding of the biology of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) has emerged since the early 1990s.

Kidney International

You'll leave with an expanded understanding of writing and a sheaf full of pages.

Stanford University

And, how can we deploy our current and expanding understanding of intelligence to the benefit of society?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Our expanded understanding of disease development and progression has made it possible to describe diseases in molecular terms.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "expand understanding" when you want to emphasize the process of making something more completely understood, especially when complex issues are involved.

Common error

Avoid using "expand understanding" when a simpler term like "learn" or "know" would suffice. The phrase is most effective when applied to complex subjects requiring deeper analysis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expand understanding" functions as a verb phrase, typically used as part of a larger clause. Its purpose is to describe the action of broadening or deepening comprehension. Ludwig confirms the phrase's correct usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

25%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "expand understanding" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to describe the process of deepening comprehension, as confirmed by Ludwig. Predominantly used in scientific, academic, and news contexts, it serves to highlight the importance of learning and grasping complex issues. While alternatives like "deepen insight" or "enhance comprehension" exist, "expand understanding" is especially useful when the goal is to increase the breadth and depth of knowledge. Remember to use it when addressing complex subjects rather than simpler concepts. The analyzed data shows its frequent usage in authoritative sources, reinforcing its acceptability in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Enhance comprehension

Highlights improving the ability to understand, focusing on clarity and ease of understanding.

Advance understanding

Implies moving understanding to a more progressive level, suggesting growth and improvement.

Deepen insight

Focuses on achieving a more profound level of insight, suggesting a greater depth of comprehension compared to simply expanding it.

Broaden knowledge

Emphasizes increasing the breadth of information known, rather than necessarily improving comprehension.

Extend knowledge

Suggests increasing the scope and range of what is known.

Develop knowledge

Emphasizes a gradual process of building knowledge, implying a longer-term investment in learning.

Foster understanding

Suggests actively promoting or encouraging understanding, rather than simply expanding existing knowledge.

Improve awareness

Stresses becoming more conscious or informed about something, implying a preliminary stage of understanding.

Cultivate insight

Implies carefully nurturing and developing a deeper understanding over time.

Promote awareness

Focuses on raising consciousness and conveying information to others about something.

FAQs

How can I use "Expand understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "expand understanding" to describe efforts to increase knowledge or awareness. For example, "The course aims to "expand understanding" of climate change issues".

What are some alternatives to "Expand understanding"?

Alternatives include "deepen insight", "broaden knowledge", or "enhance comprehension". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "Expand understanding" or "Improve understanding"?

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "Improve understanding" suggests making existing knowledge better, while "expand understanding" suggests adding to or broadening existing knowledge.

What's the difference between "Expand understanding" and "Promote awareness"?

"Expand understanding" focuses on increasing comprehension of a subject. "Promote awareness"/s/promote+awareness, on the other hand, emphasizes bringing something to people's attention, which is often a preliminary step to full understanding.