be designed to be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'be designed to be' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to indicate something has been created to have a specific purpose or characteristic. For example: "This new software has been designed to be user-friendly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Best of all, the device would be designed to be worn at all times.

The Guardian - Books

The main rule is that finger food should be designed to be eaten with the fingers.

The New York Times - Food

The own brand might be designed to be indistinguishable from the branded version.

The Guardian - Opinion

The system will be designed to be less vulnerable to cyber- attacks.

The New York Times

Instead, our action would be designed to be limited in duration and scope.

The New York Times

3. Experiment with how the physical structure of buildings can be designed to be more earthquake-proof.

The New York Times

They would be designed to be free of urban evils, of sin, smog, squalor, overcrowding and capitalism.

The Guardian - Opinion

Drugs could be designed to be absorbed from the intestine rather than from the stomach for these individuals.

The Guardian

The new business Powerbook will be designed to be upgraded to work with the company's Airport wireless networking system.

The New York Times

"You can point your finger at some of the kit manufacturers – chips can be designed to be more resilient, lots of devices can be shielded.

The Guardian

If smartphone games are designed to be played whilst waiting for a coffee, smartwatch games should be designed to be played in an elevator ride".

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be designed to be", ensure the sentence clearly states the intended function or characteristic. Clarity prevents ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the purpose of the design.

Common error

Avoid excessive passive voice constructions. While "be designed to be" is inherently passive, ensure the surrounding sentences aren't also passive, which can make the writing weak and less engaging. Instead of 'The system was designed to be easy to use and was implemented quickly,' consider 'We designed the system to be easy to use and implemented it quickly'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be designed to be" functions as part of a verb phrase, indicating the intended purpose or characteristic of something. It frequently appears in sentences where a specific outcome or functionality is planned. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable status in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be designed to be" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate the intended purpose or characteristics of something. Ludwig AI confirms that it is suitable for various contexts, particularly in scientific and news media. When using this phrase, ensure the sentence clearly articulates the intended function to avoid ambiguity, and consider using active voice in surrounding clauses to enhance the writing's strength. Remember there are alternatives such as ""be intended as"" or ""be created for"" available to prevent overuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be intended as

Focuses on the intention behind the design rather than the explicit design itself; suggests a purpose or function.

be created for

Emphasizes the creation process and the intended recipient or purpose of the design.

be planned as

Highlights the planning stage and the anticipated outcome of the design.

be purposed for

Indicates a specific purpose for which the design is meant to serve.

be tailored for

Suggests a design that has been specifically adapted to meet certain requirements or needs.

be built to be

Emphasizes the construction aspect and the intended characteristics resulting from the build.

be conceived as

Focuses on the initial idea or concept behind the design.

be structured for

Highlights the organization and arrangement of elements within the design to achieve a particular goal.

be formatted as

Relates to the layout and presentation of the design, indicating how it is arranged.

be developed for

Emphasizes the developmental stage and the goals driving the design process.

FAQs

How can I use "be designed to be" in a sentence?

Use "be designed to be" to specify the intended purpose or characteristic of something. For example, "The software is "be designed to be user-friendly"" indicates the software was created with the goal of being easy to use.

What are some alternatives to "be designed to be"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "be intended as", "be created for", or "be planned as".

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "be designed to be"?

While "be designed to be" is inherently passive, consider using the active voice in the surrounding sentences to make your writing more direct. For example, instead of "The website was designed to be accessible," you could say, "We designed the website "to be accessible"".

What is the difference between "be designed to be" and "be intended to be"?

"Be designed to be" focuses on the physical or functional characteristics of something, while "be intended to be" emphasizes the purpose or goal behind the design. They are similar but highlight different aspects.