described about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "described about" is not correct in written English.
It is not a standard expression and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "The book described about the history of the city is fascinating."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This paper described about the characteristics of the sensing system in the case of histamine detection for food analysis.

Talanta

Based on the design explorations insights are described about requirements for digital toolkits and the design-based learning process.

International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction

Scientists have described about 1.5 million species of living things on Earth, but the majority of species are still unknown.

Britannica

Mr. Laibson built his mostly on the strength of an "anomaly" that he had described about people and money.

The New York Times

Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Gonzales have described about a dozen of the detainees as senior operatives of Al Qaeda.

The New York Times

In just over 200 years, we have described about a quarter of the estimated half a million or so species.

The Guardian - Opinion

Worldwide, about 2,500 species of mayflies have been described, about 700 of them from North America north of Mexico.

Encyclopedia Britannica

American society is described about as charitably as the Soviet Union would be depicted at a convention of the Democratic or the Republican Party.

The New York Times

Our research group had already tested and described about dosimetry for our RF-EMF generator previously, but we further examined and showed in detail (Supplementary Fig. S1).

Nature

"We agreed to steps that, if implemented in good faith, can address two serious problems that I just described about the cessation" of hostilities, Mr. Kerry said.

The New York Times

Investigators will probably check construction records in the area Mr. Kimes described, about 35 minutes outside the city through either the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, the official said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "described about" in formal writing. Use alternatives such as "described in", "described regarding", or "described with" followed by the subject of the description. This ensures grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

A common mistake is to directly follow "described" with "about". Remember that "described" typically needs a preposition like "in", "regarding", or "with" to correctly link it to the subject being described. For example, say "The process is described in detail" not "The process is described about detail".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "described about" functions as a verb followed by a preposition, but Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically incorrect. Its intended function is to provide information or details concerning a particular subject, though it fails to do so effectively due to its non-standard construction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

36%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "described about" appears frequently across various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Standard English usage dictates that "described" should be followed by prepositions such as "in", "regarding", or "with". Despite its common occurrence, especially in science and news media, it's best to avoid "described about" in formal writing and opt for grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

described concerning

Replaces 'about' with 'concerning', offering a slightly more formal tone but retaining the description aspect.

described with regard to

Uses 'with regard to' instead of 'about', providing a more precise and formal connection.

described in relation to

Emphasizes the relationship aspect of the description, making the connection more explicit.

wrote about

Focuses on the action of writing in relation to the subject, rather than just describing.

detailed

Highlights the thoroughness of the description, emphasizing the level of detail provided.

explained regarding

Replaces 'described' with 'explained' and 'about' with 'regarding' for a clearer, more formal tone.

talked about

Shifts the focus to a spoken description or discussion, rather than a written one.

mentioned in connection with

Highlights a brief reference or mentioning of the topic, rather than a full description.

specified concerning

Replaces 'described' with 'specified', implying a higher degree of precision and detail.

covered in respect to

Indicates that the subject was addressed or dealt with, often comprehensively.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use "described"?

The verb "described" should typically be followed by prepositions like "in", "regarding", or "with". For example, use "described in detail", "described with respect to", or "described regarding the issue".

What can I say instead of "described about"?

Instead of "described about", you can use alternatives like "described in", "described regarding", or "discussed concerning" depending on the intended meaning.

Is "described about" grammatically correct?

No, "described about" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct usage involves using prepositions like "in", "regarding", or "with" after "described".

Which is correct, "described in" or "described about"?

"Described in" is the correct and grammatically accepted phrase. "Described about" is generally considered incorrect. You might consider "presented in", or "detailed in" as a better alternative.