a rather curious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a rather curious" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is interesting or unusual in a somewhat mild or understated way. Example: "The scientist made a rather curious observation during the experiment that warranted further investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

Photographs of women breastfeeding have a rather curious history.

The New Yorker

This produced a rather curious reaction in Louisiana.

The New Yorker

It all started in a rather curious way.

The New York Times

Superficially, this looks like a rather curious and self-aggrandizing attempt to justify one's own shyness.

The Guardian - Books

The result is a rather curious relationship between government, employer and employee.

The Guardian - Opinion

E-mail address GO SIGN UP Share Tweet Photographs of women breastfeeding have a rather curious history.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

I find the lack of a dose response rather curious in that presumably individual studies did report an effect but somehow there is heterogeneity between the studies and hence this reduces to a random scatter?

eLife

Which makes Thursday's appearance, backing the most conservative Republican presidential nominee in a long time, rather curious.

Huffington Post

It was rather curious that a nation should have worked up such affection for a timid little man whose greatest fear was "Maybe they won&apos t like me". Yet this fear had started in childhood.

The New York Times

Romney's responses to questions about his 'unusual' (for a presidential wannabe) financial behavior are rather curious.

Huffington Post

Lion will come on a USB drive next month for the rather curious price of $70, but you can save money by making your own bootable disc or drive.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a rather curious" to introduce a point of mild interest or peculiarity, signaling that something is unusual but not necessarily alarming or negative.

Common error

Avoid using "a rather curious" when describing something that is genuinely shocking or extremely bizarre. This phrase is best suited for mild or understated situations.

Linguistic Context

A rather curious functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase, adding a nuanced layer of description. It indicates a characteristic that is not typical or expected, but does so with a degree of understatement. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a rather curious" is a versatile adjective phrase used to express mild surprise or interest in something unusual. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically sound and commonly used in diverse contexts, particularly in news media and scientific writing. While it's appropriate for formal writing, be mindful of overstating the situation. Consider alternatives like "somewhat peculiar" or "slightly odd" to fine-tune your expression. Keep in mind its frequency to avoid under or over usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat peculiar

Replaces 'rather curious' with synonyms, maintaining a similar degree of understatement.

quite unusual

Substitutes 'rather curious' with 'quite unusual', highlighting the uncommon nature of something.

slightly odd

Uses more informal synonyms to convey a sense of mild strangeness.

a bit strange

Employs colloquial terms to express mild surprise or peculiarity.

somewhat unexpected

Shifts the focus to the element of surprise or unpredictability.

a little surprising

Uses gentler language to express a mild sense of astonishment.

mildly intriguing

Highlights the interesting or fascinating aspect of something.

rather interesting

Emphasizes the captivating or noteworthy quality of something.

noticeably different

Focuses on the distinct or divergent nature of something.

strikingly peculiar

Amplifies the sense of oddness or strangeness with 'strikingly'.

FAQs

How can I use "a rather curious" in a sentence?

You can use "a rather curious" to describe something that is mildly strange or unusual, such as, "The experiment yielded "a rather curious result" that warrants further investigation."

What are some alternatives to "a rather curious"?

Alternatives include "somewhat peculiar", "slightly odd", or "a bit strange", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it appropriate to use "a rather curious" in formal writing?

Yes, "a rather curious" is suitable for formal writing, though alternatives like "quite unusual" or "somewhat unexpected" may be preferred in certain contexts.

What's the difference between "a rather curious" and "very strange"?

"A rather curious" suggests a mild level of interest or intrigue, while "very strange" implies a higher degree of oddness or bizarreness. Use "a rather curious" for understated situations and "very strange" when something is truly unusual.