an overarching desire

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an overarching desire" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a strong, all-encompassing wish or goal that influences other desires or actions. Example: "Her overarching desire to make a difference in the world drove her to pursue a career in social work."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Driving the latest organizational changes, Mr. Cavanagh said, is an overarching desire to improve services for clients and recruit more business.

The New York Times

The old case officers who had managed the backwaters for decades were gone, almost overnight, like dogs of war; and there was an overarching desire by the C.I.A.'s fleeting new leaders to recast an agency that looked like 1990's America.

The New York Times

Is there an overarching desire in your practice to reflect something that carries a different ethos from, say, the idea of more ephemeral conceptual practices, found objects, or digital art, etc.? Well, I think painting and drawing, as well as assemblage are ancient mediums that still thrive.

HuffPost

56 Pound et al  56 reported that patients often weigh-up the benefits of taking a medicine against the costs of doing so and are often driven by an overarching desire to minimise medicine intake.

BMJ Open

Study participants expressed an overarching desire for simplicity in information and decision-making approach, manifested in preferences for heuristic rather than risk-based decision-making.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

He uses sources both scientific and art historical, striving to achieve an underlying structural harmony in his overarching desire to map the world of ideas.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

From the earliest days of protests in Tunisia, Mr. Obama has balanced his desire to paint an overarching Arab narrative with the need to evaluate each country on its own terms.

The New York Times

Kashf Foundation's clients predominantly use the capital they access from Kashf to generate income, accumulate savings and create assets with the overarching desire to mitigate risks.

Huffington Post

According to self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988), these responses are elicited because our overarching desire for positive self-perception is threatened when we are told we are not acting sensibly or taking care of ourselves (cf. Harris & Epton, 2009).

British Journal of Health Psychology

The majority of her work, she explains, starts not with the desire to tackle an overarching social theme but with a single spark – such as the incident with her son's friend – that illuminates something bigger.

The Guardian

Other task force members contended that any desired effects from an overarching agreement could be placed into bids requests for individual projects, he said.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an overarching desire" when you want to convey a sense of a comprehensive and primary motivation that influences various actions or decisions. It effectively communicates a broad, all-encompassing aspiration.

Common error

Avoid using "overarching" too frequently in your writing, as it can become repetitive and dilute its impact. Consider using synonyms like "primary", "dominant", or "central" to add variety and maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overarching desire" functions as a noun phrase, where "overarching" modifies the noun "desire". This phrase typically acts as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence, denoting a principal or all-encompassing motivation. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overarching desire" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express a primary and all-encompassing motivation. Ludwig AI provides real-world examples demonstrating its application across various contexts, including science, news, and formal writing. While not exceedingly common, this phrase effectively communicates a comprehensive aspiration, making it a valuable tool in conveying nuanced meaning. As highlighted by Ludwig, related alternatives include "a primary aspiration" and "a dominant wish", offering writers flexibility in their expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a primary aspiration

Focuses on the aspirational aspect, emphasizing the core goal someone is striving for.

a dominant wish

Highlights the strength and prevalence of the wish, indicating it overshadows other desires.

a central ambition

Emphasizes the ambition as being the focal point of one's efforts and plans.

a guiding principle

Shifts the focus to a principle that directs actions and decisions.

a supreme longing

Highlights the intensity and depth of the desire.

a foremost goal

Focuses on the ranking of the goal as the most important.

a prevailing motivation

Emphasizes the motivational aspect and its dominance over other motivations.

a principal aim

Highlights the main objective or purpose.

a key objective

Stresses the importance and centrality of the objective.

a fundamental yearning

Emphasizes a deep and basic emotional drive.

FAQs

How can I use "an overarching desire" in a sentence?

You can use "an overarching desire" to describe a primary and all-encompassing wish or goal. For example, "Her "an overarching desire" to help others led her to volunteer at the local shelter."

What are some alternatives to "an overarching desire"?

Alternatives include "a primary aspiration", "a dominant wish", or "a central ambition", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "an overarching desire for success"?

While not strictly redundant, it can sometimes be more concise to simply say "a desire for success" if the overarching nature is already implied. The term "overarching" adds emphasis to the comprehensive nature of the desire.

What is the difference between "an overarching goal" and "an overarching desire"?

"An overarching goal" refers to a primary objective or aim, while ""an overarching desire"" refers to a fundamental and all-encompassing wish or longing. Goals are typically more concrete and actionable, while desires are more emotionally driven.