a string of characters

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a string of characters" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to programming, computer science, or any situation where you are discussing text or data representation. Example: "In programming, a string of characters can represent anything from a simple word to complex data structures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

"Now there's a new form of exclusivity to a string of characters.

The New York Times

Shannon pointed out that the length of the instructions used to encode a string of characters corresponds to the disorder, or "entropy", of that string.

The Economist

Since the key to a file is a string of characters, one has to know this key to find the data.

The Economist

It's a string of characters identifying a specific address — kind of like a bank-account number, but one that requires a special, complicated key to open.

The New Yorker

None of the Venetian views for which Francesco Guardi was famous across Europe remotely conveys the alacrity that he felt while briskly sketching a string of characters ambling on the Piazza San Marco.

The New York Times - Arts

Texas likes to think of itself as a pretty tough proving ground for politicians, with a string of characters from "Cactus Jack Garnerr to Sam Rayburn to Lyndon Baines Johnson to the two Bushes.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

Since then, she has played a string of character parts - Shakespeare in Love, Chocolat, and The Shipping News.

The Guardian - Film

As the work is essentially a string of character and classical dances, the choreography does not tell the performers whether Balanchine is aiming for a gloss on a 19th-century style or recalling the real thing.

The New York Times - Arts

To a computer, Hamlet's first soliloquy is just a string of characters--but that string still contains information.

Science Magazine

Append at the end of T a string of sentinel characters (if T is not an exact multiple of m, extra sentinel characters can be added to make it so).

Briefings in Bioinformatics

In lieu of actually working, Mr. Gervais created a string of elaborate characters just to make Mr. Merchant laugh.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing computer code or data, use "a string of characters" to refer to a sequence of symbols or letters. For example, "The password must contain a string of characters that is at least 8 characters long."

Common error

Avoid using "a string of characters" when referring to numerical data or other non-textual data types. Ensure the context aligns with textual or symbolic representations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a string of characters" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object within a sentence. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in describing data types, code, or symbolic representations. The grammatical correctness of the phrase is validated by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a string of characters" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer to a sequence of symbols, letters, or numbers. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is versatile and can be used across various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias. While often used in neutral settings, it finds frequent application in technical and programming-related discussions, where a slightly more precise term like "a character string" might be preferred. Common alternatives include "a sequence of characters" and "a series of characters". When writing, ensure the context aligns with textual representations, avoiding its use when referring to non-textual data.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a character string

A more concise and technical term for the same concept.

a sequence of characters

Emphasizes the ordered arrangement of characters.

a character sequence

Highlights the arrangement of characters.

a series of characters

Highlights the consecutive nature of the characters.

a text string

Specifies that the characters form a piece of text.

a chain of characters

Implies a connected sequence of characters.

a succession of characters

Focuses on the characters following one another.

a stream of characters

Implies a continuous flow of characters.

a run of characters

Emphasizes a continuous, unbroken sequence.

a set of characters

Focuses on the collection of characters without necessarily implying order.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a string of characters"?

You can use alternatives like "a sequence of characters", "a series of characters", or "a character string" depending on the context.

Is "a string of characters" a technical term?

While "a string of characters" is understandable in general contexts, "a character string" is often preferred in more technical or programming-related discussions.

How is "a string of characters" used in programming?

In programming, "a string of characters" typically refers to a data type that represents a sequence of characters, used for storing and manipulating text.

Which is more precise, "a string of characters" or "a sequence of characters"?

Both are similar, but "a sequence of characters" might subtly emphasize the order or arrangement of characters more than "a string of characters".