Simply walking by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Simply walking by" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the action of passing by someone or something without stopping or engaging. Example: "I noticed her in the café, but I kept my head down, simply walking by without saying a word."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Are other people simply walking by as one kid hits or insults another kid or are administrators or other kids intervening?

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As several months ticked by between February and May 2016, neighborhood residents--both stopping in for a bottle or simply walking by--saw the couple painting, sanding, and sawing while unwrapping the interior, reclaiming the near century old building that houses their space.

Forbes

At first she simply walked by, so he might notice her presence.

The New York Times

"I simply walk by the church now and think about it".

The New York Times - Arts

On her day off she took a bus to New Jersey, found the woman's house (from the address on the sales slip) and simply walked by it.

The Guardian - Books

So Ms. Young was not about to let a woman carrying a petition for Mr. Cuomo to get on the ballot simply walk by.

The New York Times

Many stunt doubles, incredibly fit and generally as good-looking as, if not better than, the stars they double for, simply walked by a puzzled throng of Hollywood photographers.

The New Yorker

And so when I can come in and hear the choir and the bells, or simply walk by it in the evening and have a sense of its presence, that awe is not going to go away.

University of Chicago

Many retailers are currently experimenting with iBeacons - Bluetooth devices that can detect and record the location of smartphones that have the retailer's app installed as the owner browses the store or simply walks by.

BBC

"If you had simply walked by, you would never have known there were two working dogs under the table," says Davis.

Huffington Post

If they throw another insult at you then simply walk by.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using this phrase, consider the context to ensure it doesn't imply negligence or indifference when action is expected.

Common error

Be cautious using "simply walking by" in situations where action or intervention is warranted. It may suggest apathy or a lack of responsibility if someone witnesses wrongdoing and does nothing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "simply walking by" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, typically describing the manner in which someone passes a location or situation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

33%

Academia

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "simply walking by" is a grammatically correct and usable adverbial phrase that describes the action of passing without stopping or interacting. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is indeed usable in written English. While the phrase is not extremely common, it appears most frequently in news, wiki and academic contexts. It's important to use the phrase carefully, ensuring the context doesn't imply negligence or indifference where action is expected. Alternatives like "merely walking past" or "just walking by" offer similar meanings with slight differences in nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Merely walking past

Substitutes "simply" with "merely", emphasizing the casualness of the action.

Just walking by

Replaces "simply" with "just", making the phrase more informal.

Casually walking by

Adds the adverb "casually" to highlight the relaxed manner of passing.

Idly walking past

Uses "idly" instead of "simply", suggesting a lack of purpose in the action.

Walking past without stopping

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the lack of stopping.

Passing by

Simplifies the phrase by removing "simply walking", focusing on the act of passing.

Walking inattentively by

Adds "inattentively" to suggest a lack of awareness while passing.

Walking right by

Emphasizes the directness of the passing.

Walking on by

Uses "on" to indicate continuous movement while passing.

Proceeding past

A more formal way of saying passing by, indicating a deliberate continuation of movement.

FAQs

How can I use "Simply walking by" in a sentence?

You can use "simply walking by" to describe someone passing without interacting or intervening. For example, "I saw the incident, but I kept my head down, "simply walking by" without saying a word."

What does "simply walking by" imply?

"Simply walking by" suggests a lack of engagement or interaction. It can imply that someone chose not to get involved or didn't pay attention to something happening around them.

What are some alternatives to "simply walking by"?

Alternatives include "merely walking past", "just walking by", or "passing by" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it ever inappropriate to use "simply walking by"?

Yes, it can be inappropriate in situations where action or intervention is expected. Using it to describe someone ignoring a problem could be seen as insensitive or irresponsible.