a single desire

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a single desire" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express a specific, focused wish or longing that someone has. Example: "In the depths of her heart, there was a single desire to travel the world and experience new cultures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Something that symbolizes a single desire today.

The New York Times - Magazine

The fantasy may start with a single desire -- to look beautiful or to marry in a spectacular church.

The New York Times

Next weekend's national policy forum will show a Labour party united by a single desire: the desire to put that deal back together again.

The Guardian - Opinion

But he came to his hand-made life and hand-made photography out of a single desire for a way of living without gimmicks.

The New York Times - Arts

Turned Around On a Trip South Holt said he drove away his first wife, sold his bar and the hotel, and eventually made his way back to South Texas, penniless and ruled by a single desire: to drink until he dropped.

The New York Times - Sports

As recently as 14 months ago, she walked away from that life carrying a single desire inside.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The biggest challenge is trying to get the stem cells to reliably turn into a single desired type of cell, which is usually done by exposing the cells to certain growth factors or implanting particular genes in them.

The New York Times - Science

This paper investigates the problem of enhancing a single desired speech source from a mixture of signals in multispeaker environments.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

As Directional BSS serves as a BM for a single desired source, only the target source needs to be suppressed.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Here we demonstrate a method in electron-optics for arbitrarily shaping electron beams into a single desired shape, by precise patterning of a thin-membrane.

Ultramicroscopy

To this extent, the performance of the respective algorithms could be observed when screening for a single desired activity profile or when slightly deviating activity profiles are also relevant.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a single desire" to clearly articulate a primary motivation or goal, ensuring that your writing conveys focus and purpose.

Common error

Avoid embedding "a single desire" within overly complex sentence structures. Clarity is key; ensure the phrase's impact isn't diluted by excessive clauses or jargon.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a single desire" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It denotes a specific, focused wish or longing, aligning with Ludwig's analysis, and enhances clarity by emphasizing one particular motivation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

19%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a single desire" is a grammatically sound and versatile noun phrase that denotes a specific and focused wish or longing. Ludwig highlights its use across various contexts, primarily in news media and scientific domains, underscoring its professional lean. While simple alternatives like "one wish" or "a solitary longing" exist, "a single desire" effectively communicates motivation and purpose. Ludwig also suggests avoiding overly complex sentence structures to maintain clarity when using this phrase, ensuring it retains its intended impact and focus.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one overriding ambition

Replaces "desire" with "ambition" and emphasizes the dominance of the aspiration.

a solitary longing

Substitutes "desire" with "longing" to suggest a deep, often unfulfilled wish.

a unique aspiration

Replaces "desire" with "aspiration", indicating a goal or ambition.

a focused yearning

Uses "yearning" instead of "desire", highlighting a strong feeling of wanting something.

an individual's ambition

Specifies it is an individual's ambition

a primary motive

Replaces "desire" with "motive", shifting the focus to the reason behind an action.

a singular focus

Emphasizes concentration on one particular objective.

the only thing that matters

Simplifies and strengthens the expression to indicate ultimate importance.

a burning wish

Replaces "desire" with "wish", adding intensity.

a central passion

Substitutes "desire" with "passion" to highlight intense enthusiasm or compelling feeling.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "a single desire" in a sentence?

To effectively use "a single desire", place it where it emphasizes the main motivation or goal. For instance, "Driven by "a single desire" to succeed, she dedicated herself to her studies."

What are some alternatives to expressing "a single desire"?

You can use alternatives like "one overriding ambition", "a solitary longing", or "a unique aspiration" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the single desire" instead of "a single desire"?

While grammatically understandable, "the single desire" implies there is only one possible desire, which is a strong claim. "A single desire" is generally more appropriate as it refers to one particular desire among many possibilities.

Can "a single desire" be used in both formal and informal contexts?

"A single desire" is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, consider your audience and the overall tone. In very informal settings, you might opt for simpler language.