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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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characterized around

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "characterized around" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when trying to describe the defining features or qualities of something. Example: "The project is characterized around innovative design and user experience."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The authors characterized around 9000 unique genes, with an average coverage of 6.5-fold for the 4800 longest contigs.

The indolamine, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine-5-HT) was identified and initially characterized around the middle of the twentieth century and it is now known to participate in multiple physiologic processes in mammalians.

In Sierra de Varas (SV), three millennial timescale wet climate phases have been characterized: around 14.5 ka cal BP, 12.2 9.8 ka cal BP, and 4.7 ka cal BP to the present day.

The interface relaxation was characterized around 300 s in the GT5 nanocomposites, due to the entanglement between the long grafted and matrix chains, which also contributed lots to the rheology properties enhancement, such as the improving viscosity.

Science

Polymer

The project so far has mapped and characterized around 500 encampments and 600 water points located along 3,000 km of transhumance corridors within the study area (Figure 2). Figure 2 Location of the sampled communautés rurales in relationship to mapped corridors within the study area.

Taken together, they have characterized around 70 strains of mice, as well as wild-caught mice.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

In rice, ∼400 NBS-LRR genes have been characterized, with around 150 present in the Arabidopsis genome (McHale et al. 2006).

Science

AoB PLANTS

Barnes and Noble Financiallyly speaking, the world's largest bookseller has not been the hottest company around, characterized by erratic EPS growth trends and annual revenue growth rates in single digits from 2005 through 2008 and modestly negative ones in 2009.

News & Media

Forbes

Kim, who was not injured in the incident, hired a lawyer and threatened a lawsuit, but the dispute was resolved under the supervision of a private mediator.Two of the former employees said the company paid a six-figure financial settlement to Ms. Kim, which one of them characterized as "around $200,000".

News & Media

The New York Times

The wrinkle density was characterized by around five wrinkles per 10 µm2 area, and the wrinkles were a few micrometers long and some nanometers high.

Robert's brother, who lives down the street, joined us, looked around and characterized the clientele as members of the "Camden culturati".

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the qualities of something, use "characterized by" or "defined by" instead of "characterized around". For example, use "The region is characterized by rural areas" instead of "The region is characterized around rural areas".

Common error

Avoid using "characterized around" when you intend to describe the attributes or features of something. This phrasing is grammatically questionable and often indicates a misunderstanding of proper English usage. Instead, opt for "characterized by".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

80%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "characterized around" aims to describe attributes related to a subject, but it's often considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI shows that standard English prefers "characterized by" for defining qualities. While examples exist, their frequency and source quality are moderate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

41%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "characterized around" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. Ludwig AI identifies it as non-standard, and while some examples exist, the preferred alternative is ""characterized by"" when describing qualities or attributes. The phrase appears most frequently in science and news contexts, but its misuse suggests a potential for informal or less carefully edited content. When aiming for clarity and grammatical precision, it's best to opt for the more established phrasing.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "characterized" in a sentence?

The most common and grammatically sound way to use "characterized" is with the preposition "by". For instance, "The landscape is "characterized by" rolling hills" is correct, while "The landscape is characterized around rolling hills" is generally considered incorrect.

Is "characterized around" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, "characterized around" is not considered correct in standard written English. The preferred construction is ""characterized by"".

What are some alternatives to using "characterized around"?

Instead of "characterized around", you can use phrases like "defined by", "situated around", or "centered on" depending on the context. The most direct replacement is usually ""characterized by"".

How can I avoid misusing "characterized"?

To avoid misusing "characterized", always double-check the preposition you are using. If you mean to describe the qualities of something, use ""characterized by"". If you are describing a location relative to something, "situated around" or a similar phrase might be more appropriate.

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Most frequent sentences: