described to be

USAGE SUMMARY

"described to be" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something or to explain how something appears. For example, "The city was described to be a cultural hub, with numerous art galleries and theater performances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

SIRT1, class III histone deacetylase, has been described to be up-regulated in various malignancies.

Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology

Intermittent coronary sinus occlusion has been described to be effective in salvaging ischemic myocardium.

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

Short telomere length has been described to be associated with biological aging including atherosclerosis phenotypes.

Atherosclerosis

Signs described to be of high diagnostic value were epistaxis and kidney disease.

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

In most cases these symbionts have been described to be egg predators.

Aquaculture

Antinucleosome autoantibodies were previously described to be a marker of active lupus nephritis.

American Journal of Kidney Diseases

VEGF-A has been described to be an important pro-angiogenic factor.

Archives of Cardiovascular Diseases

The impact point of the missile was described to be in the Indian Ocean.

The New York Times

"Their nationalities are described to be Arabs, Uzbeks and at least one Turk".

The New York Times

Contrary to what was observed in the present study, Mef(A) has been described to be frequent in Enterobacteriaceae31.

Nature

TRiC has been described to be involved in the folding or stabilization of ~10% of all newly synthesized proteins24.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "described to be" when you want to convey how something is generally perceived or represented, especially when drawing from external sources or common knowledge.

Common error

Ensure the tense of "described" aligns with the context. Avoid using "is described to be" if the description occurred in the past; instead, use "was described to be".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "described to be" functions as a passive reporting verb phrase, indicating how something is portrayed or characterized. It's used to convey information about the perceived nature or qualities of a subject, often drawing from external sources or general consensus. As Ludwig AI notes, it's grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

16%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "described to be" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey how something is portrayed or characterized. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While versatile, it's essential to maintain tense consistency and consider alternatives like "defined as" or "characterized as" for conciseness. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, this phrase serves as a valuable tool for expressing general perceptions and attributed qualities in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Characterized as

Focuses on the attributes or qualities that define something.

Defined as

Emphasizes the formal or precise meaning of a term or concept.

Identified as

Highlights the recognition or classification of something.

Designated as

Emphasizes the official or formal assignment of a role or status.

Known as

Suggests a common or widely accepted designation.

Classified as

Highlights the categorization of something into a specific group.

Labeled as

Focuses on the use of a specific term or name to identify something.

Considered to be

Indicates a subjective assessment or opinion.

Regarded as

Similar to "considered to be" but may imply a more formal evaluation.

Termed as

Similar to "labeled as" but may imply a more technical or specialized term.

FAQs

How can I use "described to be" in a sentence?

You can use "described to be" to explain how something is generally perceived or represented. For example: "The novel was described to be a masterpiece of contemporary literature."

What are some alternatives to using "described to be"?

You can use alternatives like "characterized as", "defined as", or "identified as" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "is described to be"?

While grammatically understandable, "is described to be" is often less concise than simply "is described as". The latter is generally preferred for clarity. However, "was described to be" is correct for past tense.

What is the difference between "described as" and "described to be"?

"Described as" is more direct and concise, while "described to be" can sometimes add a slightly more formal tone, though it's often considered less efficient in modern usage. For example "The project was described as innovative" vs. "The project was described to be innovative".