demarcating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "demarcating" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe the action of setting boundaries or distinguishing between different areas or concepts. Example: "The new policy is demarcating the responsibilities of each team member to avoid confusion."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Another way to express this is that the demarcation problem has a deeper concern than that of demarcating the selection of human activities that we have for various reasons chosen to call "sciences".

SEP

The proposals for demarcating logical constants that we have examined so far have all been analytical demarcations.

SEP

In the autumn of 2007 you could detect a collective feeling among the delegates at the SDLP conference that they saw rebranding their form of northern nationalism as a way of establishing a new USP to the electorate, as a means of demarcating themselves against Sinn Féin, which in effect by abandoning united-Ireland-or-nothing nationalism had itself become the SDLP mark II.

The Guardian

The government then set up a fund to administer receipts from the higher-priced goods, demarcating 50% to go towards families, 30% to help businesses affected by price rises and 20% to meet the state's own added costs.The government cleverly doled out two months' worth of family cash transfers, amounting to some $90 per person, before unleashing its shock.

The Economist

Their warrior mullahs included Mullah Powindah, an Afghan-backed Mehsud, who in 1894 led an attack on the British team demarcating the frontier.

The Economist

Most likely that means demarcating a disputed strip of water by the Arabian Sea or pulling soldiers from Siachen glacier, where an avalanche this week killed nearly 140 Pakistanis, mostly soldiers.

The Economist

Now that Mr Sharon has promised to give up Gaza, the territorial part of the conflict has shrunk to Lilliputian dimensions, focusing now on a sliver of land perhaps 10% or 12% of the West Bank, though including all Jerusalem which Mr Sharon wants to keep even after a final peace, and which he is demarcating by means of Israel's controversial "security" barrier.

The Economist

Last December Vietnamese students held "spontaneous" anti-Chinese protests in Hanoi, after reports that China was creating a new municipality incorporating the islands.Even so, the exchanges between Hanoi and Beijing have remained restrained and the two are trying to finish the long-delayed job of demarcating their land borders by the end of this year.

The Economist

But such bonanzas inevitably bring headaches.Tension with next-door Lebanon over demarcating the maritime border is rising.

The Economist

The Russians are threatening to veto any resolution not acceptable to Serbia.Latvia and Russia signed a treaty demarcating their border, after a 16-year dispute since the break-up of the Soviet Union.The Northern Ireland peace process culminated in a power-sharing deal between Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists and Gerry Adams's Sinn Fein.

The Economist

But an argument still festers over sharing oil revenue and demarcating the border between north and south.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "demarcating", ensure the context clearly defines what is being separated or distinguished. Provide enough detail to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

While "demarcating" is a valid word, avoid using it in very informal settings where simpler words like "separating" or "dividing" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "demarcating" is that of a present participle or gerund form of the verb "demarcate". It's used to describe an ongoing action of setting boundaries or distinguishing between things, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "demarcating" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed verb form that signifies the action of establishing boundaries or distinctions. As noted by Ludwig AI, its usage spans diverse contexts, with a notable presence in science, news, and encyclopedic sources. While the word itself is considered grammatically correct, it is more appropriate in formal writing contexts. When seeking alternatives, "delineating", "delimiting", and "setting apart" offer semantically similar options, depending on the nuance you want to convey. Remember to use "demarcating" to clearly define the boundaries. Also be mindful that simpler words are preferable in informal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delimiting

Similar to delineating, but can also imply reducing or restricting scope.

delineating

Emphasizes a clear and precise marking of a boundary or limit.

defining

Highlights the act of giving a precise meaning to something, setting it apart.

bounding

Highlights the act of creating a physical or conceptual boundary.

distinguishing

Focuses on recognizing and highlighting the differences between items.

setting apart

Focuses on distinguishing one thing from others, often emphasizing uniqueness.

circumscribing

Implies limiting or restricting something within specific boundaries.

separating

Implies creating a space or distinction between two or more things.

marking out

Suggests a more informal or practical way of indicating boundaries.

partitioning

Suggests dividing something into distinct parts or sections.

FAQs

What does "demarcating" mean?

"Demarcating" means setting or marking the boundaries of something; separating or distinguishing.

How to use "demarcating" in a sentence?

You can use "demarcating" in a sentence to describe the action of setting boundaries, such as "The fence is "demarcating the property line"".

What are some synonyms for "demarcating"?

Synonyms for "demarcating" include "delineating", "delimiting", and "bounding". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "demarcating" and "defining"?

While both words involve creating boundaries, "demarcating" typically refers to physical or conceptual separation, while "defining" focuses on providing a clear and precise meaning or description. Think of "demarcating" as "setting apart" and "defining" as explaining.