context of meaning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "context of meaning" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing how the meaning of a word or phrase is influenced by the surrounding circumstances or information. For example, "The context of meaning is crucial for understanding the author's intent." Alternative expressions include "meaning context" and "contextual meaning."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The speech is an act of communication between a speaker and her addressee; this communication is taking place in the context of a shared context of meaning.

International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility

Inasmuch as understanding is taken to involve a 'fusion of horizons', then so it always involves the formation of a new context of meaning that enables integration of what is otherwise unfamiliar, strange or anomalous.

SEP

They express optimism that the goals can be attained, which serves to give a context of "meaning" when members of the organization are asked to make sacrifices and/or work through difficulties.

Globalization and Health

Dr. Viktor Frankl, a psychoanalyst, found that Holocaust survivors who were able to place their experiences into some larger context of meaning fared better psychologically.

The New York Times - Science

Those who see themselves as connected to something bigger and more enduring than themselves, however, can die in a context of meaning and purpose.

The Washington Post

According to Dr. Harold G. Koenig, a psychiatrist at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, N.C., who has analyzed the physical and mental health records of nearly 4,000 elderly subjects, healthy or infirm, in a study financed by the National Institute on Aging, religion helps a person cope with distress because it "puts suffering in a context of meaning".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

In the same way that the history of 19th-century politics, industry, and trade is basically about the practical efforts of human beings to reconsolidate these elements, so the history of 19th-century social thought is about theoretical efforts to reconsolidate them that is, to give them new contexts of meaning.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Even when they do, however, they usually suggest that these social facts are also constructed in the context of webs of meaning.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But what's actually maddening in this objectively insignificant event is that it highlights the toxic fatuity of concepts like "seriousness" and "toughness" when they're wrenched out of context and sapped of meaning.

Vice

Using thematic content analysis, the text was divided into words, sentences or paragraphs, related to each other through their content and context as units of meaning.

BMJ Open

The text was divided into words, sentences or paragraphs, related to each other through their content and context as units of meaning.

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ it when discussing trauma, philosophy or sociology to show how individuals make sense of their lived experiences.

Common error

Avoid using "context of meaning" when you simply mean the definition of a word. It should refer to the situational or philosophical background that gives a concept its weight, rather than just the literal definition.

Linguistic Context

In the data provided by Ludwig, "context of meaning" functions as a complex noun phrase usually serving as the object of a preposition (like "in" or "within"). It connects a specific observation or datum to a broader set of values or interpretive rules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

Encyclopedias

25%

News & Media

20%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "context of meaning" is a highly effective and sophisticated phrase for describing the interpretive webs that humans weave around their experiences. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a correct and widely accepted expression, particularly in high-level academic and journalistic writing. Whether used in the discussion of psychology, as in the works of Viktor Frankl, or in linguistics to describe how words function, the phrase emphasizes that nothing is understood in isolation. By using it, writers can signal a deeper level of analysis that moves beyond surface-level observations to explore how background and belief systems shape our reality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

framework of meaning

Shifts focus from the situation to the underlying structure or system

semantic context

More technical and specifically refers to the linguistic study of meaning

horizon of meaning

A phenomenological term suggesting the limit or boundary of understanding

universe of meaning

Implies a vast and all-encompassing system of significance

interpretive framework

Emphasizes the active role of the observer in creating meaning

conceptual environment

Focuses on the abstract space in which ideas exist

sense of meaning

More subjective and relates to an individual perception of significance

field of significance

Visualizes meaning as a spatial domain or influence

system of symbols

Emphasizes the structuralist elements like language and icons

cultural landscape

Places the meaning specifically within a societal or historical setting

FAQs

What does "context of meaning" mean?

It refers to the surrounding circumstances, environment or background information that allows an idea or event to be understood correctly. Ludwig shows it is frequently used to describe how suffering or art gains significance through a larger story.

How to use "context of meaning" in a sentence?

A typical usage would be: "Religion helps a person cope with distress because it puts suffering in a "context of meaning"." This demonstrates how a larger belief system provides value to difficult events.

What can I say instead of "context of meaning"?

Depending on your specific needs, you might use alternatives like "framework of meaning", "semantic context" or "interpretive framework".

Is "context of meaning" a formal phrase?

Yes, it is highly formal and most common in scientific, philosophical and academic texts. It is less likely to appear in casual conversation but is standard in journalism and analysis.