by an incomplete understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by an incomplete understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where a lack of full comprehension leads to a particular outcome or perspective. Example: "The decision was made by an incomplete understanding of the project's requirements, resulting in several oversights."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Attempts to identify a common pathogenic process underlying PMD have been complicated by an incomplete understanding of PLP1 dysfunction and limited access to primary human oligodendrocytes.

The American Journal of Human Genetics

However, optimization of such a strategy, and hence clinical translation, is constrained by an incomplete understanding of mechanisms by which ultrasound-induced microbubble vibrations disrupt blood clots.

Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology

Despite rapid developments in cancer stem cell research in other solid tumours, progress in the lung has been hampered by an incomplete understanding of the epithelial stem cell hierarchy, the heterogeneity of disease and the lack of a suitable in vivo transplantation model to assess stem cell behaviour.

Molecular Oncology

As a result, studies of Mesozoic ecology are often hampered by an incomplete understanding of herbivore behavior an issue that carries great weight due to the relative abundance of herbivores in any ecosystem.

Plosone

Attempts to lower this number may be hampered by an incomplete understanding of the risk factors leading to the majority of antepartum stillbirths.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

However, assessment of the significance of human exposures is hampered by an incomplete understanding of how complex mixtures affect AhR activation/inactivation.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

But there has been an incomplete understanding by scholars of the composition process.

The Guardian - Books

Attendees concluded that the evaluation of proposed intervention strategies would likely be hampered by knowledge gaps that result in an incomplete understanding of playground-related injuries.

Injury Epidemiology

Lack of power in genetic association studies could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including insufficient sample sizes to detect the modest effects conferred by susceptibility variants, as well as an incomplete understanding of human genetic variation.

Diabetic Medicine

The failure of encouraging preclinical data to completely translate to clinical studies may be partially explained by shortcomings of animal models of addiction and an incomplete understanding of the complex physiological and behavioural processes contributing to tobacco addiction.

Drugs

It is unclear whether this reflects a true divergence in function or an incomplete understanding of the functions controlled by TORC2.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "by an incomplete understanding", ensure the context clearly identifies what is not fully understood and the consequences of this lack of understanding. For example, "The project failed by an incomplete understanding of the market needs".

Common error

Avoid using "by an incomplete understanding" without specifying what exactly is not understood. Instead of saying, "The decision was flawed by an incomplete understanding", specify, "The decision was flawed by an incomplete understanding of the legal ramifications".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by an incomplete understanding" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating the cause or reason for an action or outcome. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms this usage, showing how it connects a lack of comprehension to a resultant situation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

59%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Unknown/unmatched sources

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "by an incomplete understanding" serves as a causal connector, explaining how a lack of comprehension leads to specific outcomes. As Ludwig AI confirms, its grammatical correctness and widespread use across diverse fields such as Science, News & Media, and Formal & Business make it a valuable addition to one's writing toolkit. While the phrase is most commonly found in scientific contexts, it also appears frequently in news and media. To maximize clarity, it's crucial to specify exactly what is not fully understood. Alternatives include "due to a partial comprehension" or "resulting from a limited grasp", but "by an incomplete understanding" specifically highlights the causal relationship.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

due to a partial comprehension

Replaces "by" with "due to" and "incomplete understanding" with "partial comprehension".

resulting from a limited grasp

Changes the connector and uses "limited grasp" to convey the idea of incomplete understanding.

stemming from a deficient knowledge

Employs "stemming from" and "deficient knowledge" for a more formal tone.

because of a fragmented awareness

Substitutes "because of" for "by" and "fragmented awareness" for "incomplete understanding".

owing to a superficial acquaintance

Uses "owing to" and "superficial acquaintance" for a slightly more complex construction.

attributable to a narrow perspective

Replaces the original phrase with "attributable to a narrow perspective".

as a consequence of a restricted insight

Offers a more formal alternative with "as a consequence of" and "restricted insight".

derived from a sketchy notion

Employs "derived from" and "sketchy notion" for a less formal tone.

based on an imperfect apprehension

Substitutes "based on" for "by" and "imperfect apprehension" for "incomplete understanding".

arising from a blurred perception

Uses "arising from" and "blurred perception" to suggest a vague understanding.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "by an incomplete understanding" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "due to a partial comprehension", "resulting from a limited grasp", or "stemming from a deficient knowledge" depending on the desired formality and context.

What does it mean when something is caused "by an incomplete understanding"?

It means that a lack of full comprehension or knowledge about a particular subject or situation led to a specific outcome or consequence. For example, decisions made "by an incomplete understanding" of the data could lead to errors.

Is it better to say "due to incomplete understanding" or "by an incomplete understanding"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "due to incomplete understanding" is generally more common. "By an incomplete understanding" emphasizes the means by which the result occurred.

What's the difference between "limited knowledge" and "incomplete understanding"?

"Limited knowledge" refers to the amount of information one possesses, while "incomplete understanding" refers to a lack of full comprehension or a fragmented grasp of the information. You might have access to information but still have "an incomplete understanding" of it.