competing explanations for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "competing explanations for" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are introducing concepts that have multiple explanations. For example: "Competing explanations for the changes in weather patterns include human activities and natural causes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

There are competing explanations for this.

The Economist

Two teams of scientists have competing explanations for the patterns.

The Guardian

They also offer competing explanations for why central bankers botched things so badly a generation ago.

The Economist

The uncertainty of the play, and the historical record, revolves around competing explanations for why Heisenberg went to Copenhagen for the meeting.

The New York Times

In one entertaining chapter, tellingly titled "Create Your Own Myth", a string of participants offer competing explanations for the name's origin.

The Guardian - Books

There are any number of competing explanations for Thailand's current conflict and how it came to the point of yet another military regime.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Their work provides a competing explanation for the cultural evolution of human cooperation.

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

The final aspect of this analysis investigates whether there is another competing explanation for the data a principal components analysis of the Rasch standardized residuals.

BMC Health Services Research

Given the cross-sectional assessments, we cannot determine if new students enrolled at the intervention school were already more likely to walk to school (or vice versa at the control schools) as a competing explanation for the results, but this appears unlikely.

BMC Public Health

Competing explanations exist for the biogeographic distributions of freshwater algae.

BMC Ecology

A powerful method of distinguishing between the competing explanations is to test for the presence of analogous patterns in systems that share some, but not all of the ecological characteristics of island habitats [4], [12], [34].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When presenting "competing explanations for" a phenomenon, clearly outline each explanation and provide supporting evidence for each.

Common error

Avoid simply listing "competing explanations for" something without clearly articulating the differences, strengths and weaknesses of each.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "competing explanations for" functions as a noun phrase modifier. It introduces a set of different possible reasons or interpretations of a certain phenomenon. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and understandable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

34%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "competing explanations for" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to introduce multiple theories or reasons for a phenomenon, most commonly within science, news, and encyclopedic contexts. While ""alternative explanations for"" and "rival explanations for" provide similar meanings, each carries slightly different connotations. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity and distinguish among the explanations presented. Although not very common, it holds significance in analytical and informative writing and is frequently found in the most authoritative publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rival explanations for

Replaces "competing" with "rival", suggesting a more adversarial relationship between the explanations.

alternative explanations for

A more neutral phrasing, simply indicating that there are other possible explanations.

contending explanations for

Similar to "competing", but with a slightly stronger emphasis on the active struggle between explanations.

different explanations for

Highlights the difference between explanations without necessarily implying competition.

various explanations for

Emphasizes the variety of explanations available.

multiple explanations for

Directly states that there are several explanations.

opposing explanations for

Highlights the contrast between the different explanations.

conflicting explanations for

Implies that the explanations are not only different, but also irreconcilable.

possible explanations for

Focuses on the potential for different explanations to be valid.

divergent explanations for

Suggests that the explanations start from a common point but then deviate.

FAQs

How can I use "competing explanations for" in a sentence?

Use "competing explanations for" to introduce different theories or reasons that attempt to explain a single event or phenomenon. For example, "There are "alternative explanations for" why sales decreased last quarter.".

What are some alternatives to "competing explanations for"?

You can use phrases like "rival explanations for", "alternative theories for", or "different interpretations of" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to present all "competing explanations for" something, even if some are weak?

Presenting all "competing explanations for" a topic can demonstrate thoroughness, but it's important to evaluate each explanation's credibility. Indicate the strengths and weaknesses of each to guide the reader.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "competing explanations for"?

It is appropriate to use the phrase "competing explanations for" when discussing situations where multiple, mutually exclusive theories or hypotheses exist to explain the same phenomenon.