about to search

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about to search" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone is on the verge of starting a search for information or items. Example: "I am about to search for the documents you requested."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

In January, Shamrakova and her business partner Michael Smaye, 25, apparently found out that cops were about to search an apartment that they shared, so they allegedly tried to hide their computers, phones and other documents.

Huffington Post

Mr. Corzine, are you refusing to release your tax returns because they might shine a harsh light on some of Goldman Sachs's holdings, thereby endangering the financial security of Western Europe or several third world countries that are about to search for oil?

The New York Times

Now, very often, the app I was about to search for is already here in the suggestions.

TechCrunch

Mark Showalter of NASA's Ames Research Center, who discovered Saturn's 18th satellite, is surprised by the find: "If you told me you were about to search for undiscovered satellites in old Voyager photos, I would've said you're wasting your time," he admits.

Science Magazine

"The weirdest part is that he went into the grass, so I knew he was in there someplace, but wasn't about to search him out.

Vice

I began looking around my mother's apartment, thinking perhaps her smoke alarm might be faulty, but just as I was about to search for her step ladder, I heard a disembodied voice coming through the wall mounted speaker "Stay calm, and please evacuate the building".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

In the case of partial consensus it took about 2.5 min to search the MR-partial and about 2.2 min for MF-partial (compared to about 2 min needed to search native one with PSI-BLAST profile).

Bioinformatics

These questions have led me to learn about politics, to search for an answer to these questions.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the decision about whom to search thoroughly at security checkpoints is more random, because screeners have far less information than the people working at the ticket counters.

The New York Times

I've even started buying The Wire magazine so I can think about things to search on Spotify – I mainly look at obscure stuff.

The Guardian

Phylogenetic systematics classifications structure knowledge of species in a way that facilitates recovery of information and predictions about where to search for similar nature solutions.

Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "about to search" to clearly indicate an action that is going to happen very soon. It adds a sense of immediacy to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "about to searched". The correct form is "about to search" because "to" requires the base form of the verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about to search" functions as an infinitive phrase, indicating an action that is on the cusp of occurring. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical structure and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Academia

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about to search" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate an action that is on the verge of happening. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is correct and usable in various contexts. The phrase is versatile enough for both formal and informal settings, though it appears more frequently in news and general content. If you're looking for alternatives, consider phrases like "ready to search" or "on the verge of searching", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Remember to use the base form of the verb after "to" to avoid grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just about to search

Adds emphasis with "just", indicating that the search is about to start in a very short time.

on the verge of searching

Replaces "about to" with "on the verge of", emphasizing the imminence of the search action.

on the point of searching

Uses "on the point of" instead of "about to", highlighting the immediate intention to search.

on the brink of searching

Similar to "on the verge of", suggesting that the search is imminent and almost certain to happen.

ready to search

Indicates preparedness and willingness to begin the search immediately.

preparing to search

Focuses on the preparations being made before initiating the search.

going to search

A more informal way of saying "about to search", indicating a future intention.

intending to search

Highlights the intention and planned action of searching.

planning to search

Emphasizes the planning stage before the actual search begins.

at the threshold of searching

A more formal and figurative way to express being on the verge of searching, suggesting a pivotal moment.

FAQs

How can I use "about to search" in a sentence?

You can use "about to search" to indicate an imminent action. For example, "I was "just about to search" for that file when you called."

What is a synonym for "about to search"?

A synonym for "about to search" is "ready to search", which also implies an immediate action.

Is "about to search" formal or informal?

"About to search" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although phrases like "on the verge of searching" might be more formal.

What's the difference between "about to search" and "going to search"?

"About to search" suggests a more immediate action than "going to search". "About to" implies the action will happen very soon, while "going to" indicates a future intention.