be sought to

USAGE SUMMARY

"Be sought to" is not a standard or correct phrase in written English. It is not usable in formal writing. An example could be: "The information is to be sought to clarify the issue." Alternative expressions include "to be sought for" and "to be pursued for."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Rather, funding should be sought to mount an effective response on multiple health fronts.

The New York Times

What evidence can be sought to gather evidence that good or outstanding is the norm?

The Guardian

Warrants must be sought to access their data in an attempt to identify their sources.

The Guardian - Tech

No deals would be sought to provide information in exchange for leniency.

The Guardian - Opinion

In some societies, the magician is typically an accepted personage whose help may be sought to accomplish a goal or ward off evil.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But his spirit lives on, as does the belief that help must be sought to cope with the improbabilities of living - and practising agriculture - in southern California.

The Guardian

Tens of millions of dollars of private-sector donations will be sought to help pay for and manage Mr. Levy's ambitious teacher-training program, Ms. Plesser said.

The New York Times

Other approaches need to be sought to fill this gap.

EPJ Data Science

In this, alternative techniques should be sought to provide stability across the fusion site.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

More engineering controls and administrative management should be sought to prevent overexposure to these airborne toxicants.

Journal of Chemical Health and Safety

Bids would be sought to operate and maintain the new aircraft bought by the government.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the verb following 'to' is in the base form to maintain the infinitive structure (e.g. "be sought to improve" rather than "be sought to improving").

Common error

Do not use "be sought to" when the agent is known and the sentence would be more impactful in the active voice. Instead of "Approval will be sought to use the data", consider "The researchers will seek approval to use the data" to increase clarity and directness in less formal writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be sought to" functions as a passive infinitive construction. It allows the writer to omit the subject (the seeker) and focus on the action being initiated. According to Ludwig, it often pairs with modal verbs like 'should', 'must' or 'will' to indicate necessity or future planning.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis of the phrase "be sought to" confirms it as a highly reliable and standard construction for formal English. While some automated feedback might label it as non-standard, the real-world evidence from Ludwig shows extensive usage in high-authority sources like The New York Times, Nature and The Guardian. It is a specialized tool for writers who need to maintain an objective, third-person tone while discussing goals, strategies and requirements. By using "be sought to", writers can successfully emphasize the importance of a task or resource over the identity of the person performing the search. It remains a crucial component of the scientific and journalistic lexicon for reporting planned interventions and necessary developments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be intended to

Focuses on the purpose or design behind an action rather than the effort of seeking it.

be aimed to

Suggests a specific goal or target direction.

be pursued to

Implies a more active and continuous follow-up on a goal.

be attempted to

Indicates a trial or effort that may not have guaranteed success.

be requested to

Shifts the meaning slightly toward a formal demand or solicitation.

be required to

Introduces a sense of obligation or necessity.

be designed to

Focuses on the structural plan or intent of an object or system.

be desired to

Expresses a wish or preference rather than a formal search for a solution.

be expected to

Shifts the focus to anticipation and probability.

be enlisted to

Specifically refers to gaining the support or help of others.

FAQs

How to use "be sought to" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an action that needs to happen, such as "Professional advice should "be sought to" resolve the dispute" or "Funding will "be sought to" expand the project."

Is "be sought to" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is the passive form of the verb phrase "seek to". While formal, it is widely accepted in academic and technical English as shown in examples from Ludwig.

What can I say instead of "be sought to"?

Depending on your context, you can use more direct alternatives like "be intended to", "be pursued to" or "aim to".

What is the difference between "be sought to" and "be sought for"?

The phrase "be sought to" is followed by a verb (infinitive), indicating a purpose or action (e.g. "be sought to clarify"). Conversely, "be sought for" is followed by a noun, indicating the thing being looked for (e.g. "be sought for its medicinal properties").