a wise course of action

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a wise course of action" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing decisions or strategies that are considered prudent or sensible. Example: "After careful consideration of the options, we concluded that pursuing a wise course of action would lead to the best outcome for the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

"I think it's a wise course of action," he said, "simply because of the unknowns".

The New York Times

Why would the International Olympic Committee think that appeasing the dictators of China now is a wise course of action?

The New York Times

A wise course of action would have reduced racial tensions in the high school, not inflamed them.

The New York Times

AFTER 14 years as a renter in the same building, Karen Schnelwar believed that buying a one-bedroom was a wise course of action.

The New York Times

David Snow, executive editor at Private Equity International, a research firm, said that the $30 million settlement was a wise course of action by Riverstone.

The New York Times

Of course this is technically possible (that is, if things go as Trende hypothesizes, it is certainly true that the Republicans can win without additional Latino votes) but is it a wise course of action?

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

An alternative, and probably less wise, course of action would be to appoint a special prosecutor to probe Wall Street wrongdoing.

The New Yorker

Another wise course of action would be to produce a visualization of the rays refracting through your lens system as a debugging aid (compare to those at the top of this web page).

Stanford University

Sometimes the wise course of action for change and growth as a person is to experience a situation until a solution, however imperfect, emerges.

HuffPost

The wise course of action would have been to point out, calmly, that Wildstein and his attorney hadn't provided any documentation to support their charges.

The New Yorker

The wise course of action is to use gas to cover just the spread between baseload demand and peak demand (typically, about 15%) and to provide another 10% as a reserve against unexpected outages.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a wise course of action", ensure the context clearly defines why the action is considered wise. Provide specific reasons or benefits to strengthen your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "a wise course of action" repeatedly in close proximity. Vary your language by using synonyms like "prudent approach" or "sensible strategy" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a wise course of action" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the subject complement or object of a sentence. It describes a particular decision or strategy deemed intelligent and beneficial. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is both correct and usable in formal English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a wise course of action" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, according to Ludwig AI, employed to advocate for intelligent and beneficial decisions. It functions as a noun phrase, often seen in news, academic, and scientific contexts, with a neutral to professional register. While relatively uncommon, effective usage involves clearly articulating the reasons for the action's wisdom and avoiding overuse through the incorporation of varied alternatives like ""a prudent course of action"" or ""a sensible strategy"". As exemplified in Ludwig's usage examples, it serves to persuade the audience of the sensibility and advantages of the suggested path.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a prudent course of action

Replaces "wise" with "prudent", emphasizing careful and cautious decision-making.

a judicious approach

Substitutes "course of action" with "approach", highlighting a thoughtful and balanced method.

a sensible strategy

Uses "sensible strategy" instead of "wise course of action", focusing on a practical and reasonable plan.

an intelligent plan

Replaces the longer phrase with a more concise option, emphasizing the cleverness of the plan.

a sound decision

Focuses on the quality of the decision itself, rather than the broader course of action.

the smart move

An informal alternative, highlighting a clever and advantageous action.

the right way to proceed

Emphasizes correctness and appropriateness in the manner of moving forward.

a logical step

Highlights the rational and reasoned nature of the action.

an advisable measure

Suggests that the action is recommended or beneficial.

a recommended strategy

Focuses on strategy and the notion of recommendation or endorsement.

FAQs

How can I use "a wise course of action" in a sentence?

You can use "a wise course of action" to describe a decision or strategy that is considered intelligent and beneficial. For example, "Choosing to invest in renewable energy is "a wise course of action" for the future".

What are some alternatives to "a wise course of action"?

Some alternatives include "a prudent course of action", "a sensible strategy", or "a judicious approach".

Is it better to say "a wise course of action" or "the wise course of action"?

Both "a wise course of action" and "the wise course of action" are grammatically correct. "A wise course of action" is used when referring to one of many possible wise actions, while "the wise course of action" refers to a specific, already identified wise action.

What's the difference between "a wise course of action" and "a smart course of action"?

While similar, "a wise course of action" implies deeper understanding and long-term benefit, whereas "a smart course of action" suggests cleverness and immediate advantage. Both options can be used according to the context.