caught upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "caught upon" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely a confusion with the phrase "caught up on," which is used to indicate that someone has become informed about something they were previously unaware of. Example: "I finally caught up on all the episodes of my favorite show over the weekend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But he was caught upon his return to Britain in 1968.

The Guardian

One Chinese swimmer, Yuan Yuan, did not even make it into the competition because she was caught upon arrival at Sydney airport with 13 vials of human growth hormone in her luggage.In this section In the hands of the militia Mahathir's last waltz?

The Economist

In her blog post, Elisa Guerra (@ElisaGuerraCruz) highlights the real difficultly of solving the problem: "Even good teachers are frequently caught upon stereotypes.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Now burst out with speed before the defender catches upon you again.

WikiHow

Feel and touch and pressure are constants throughout this selection, whether it's the longing of a hawk for "the feel... / Of catcher and of caught / Upon your wrist"; the swimmer who remembers "the pull and risk / Of the Pacific's touch... Its cold live sinews tugging at each limb"; or simply the "secure firm dry embrace" of longtime domestic affection.

The New York Times - Books

Hunters caught preying upon pregnant animals were strangled to death with their own hair.

Huffington Post

The pattern he stumbled upon caught him by surprise: time and time again, Brits seemed to be consuming fewer resources and producing less waste.

The Guardian

Rather, they said, he felt he was not properly consulted as the flow chart was drafted and was caught off guard upon its release a month ago.

The New York Times

Anti-Islamic protesters had to be sheltered by riot police who formed a cordon round them and rescued one from a beating after he was caught and set upon by a crowd of Asian youths.

Independent

The veteran Austrian racer caught an edge upon landing after soaring off the Hausberg bump, quickly got spun 180 degrees and slammed backward into the fences within view of 40,000-plus fans in the finish area.

The New York Times - Sports

the sardines are caught by fishermen upon the high seas beyond the three-mile limit to which the jurisdiction of the state extends, sold to appellant, and brought into the state and there reduced to fish flour at appellant's reduction plants.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "caught upon", consider alternatives like "caught up on", "caught unaware", or "stumbled upon" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "caught upon" as it's often confused with the correct phrase "caught up on". Ensure you're using the intended preposition for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "caught upon" functions as a verbal phrase, but its usage is considered non-standard in contemporary English. Ludwig AI identifies it as potentially incorrect and suggests alternative phrasings for clarity. The function is to describe a state of being or an action impacting someone or something.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "caught upon" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI flags it as potentially grammatically incorrect in contemporary English. Its infrequent usage and the availability of clearer alternatives like "caught up on", "stumbled upon", or "relied upon" suggest that writers should exercise caution and consider more standard phrasing. The contexts in which it appears are primarily News & Media, Wiki, and Academia, but its rarity indicates that it is not a preferred expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

caught up on

Focuses on becoming informed about something previously unknown.

caught unaware

Emphasizes the element of surprise or unpreparedness.

caught off guard

Highlights being surprised and unprepared for something.

caught by surprise

Similar to "caught off guard", but with a slightly different emphasis.

stumbled upon

Suggests discovering something unexpectedly.

happened upon

Similar to "stumbled upon", indicating an accidental discovery.

relied upon

Indicates dependence on something or someone.

depended on

Synonymous with "relied upon", expressing reliance.

caught in

Focuses on being involved in a situation, often undesirable.

ensnared by

Suggests being trapped or entangled by something.

FAQs

What does "caught upon" mean?

"Caught upon" is not a standard English phrase. It's often used incorrectly in place of phrases like "caught up on" or "stumbled upon".

Is "caught upon" grammatically correct?

No, "caught upon" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in modern English. It's advisable to use more common and accepted phrases.

What can I say instead of "caught upon"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "caught up on", "stumbled upon", or "relied upon".

When is it appropriate to use "caught upon"?

While rare, "caught upon" might appear in older texts or specific dialects. However, in contemporary writing, it's best to use alternative phrasing for clarity.