designed to enable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "designed to enable" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to explain the purpose or intention of a particular action or system. For example: "The program is designed to enable students to use virtual reality to explore different landscapes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Our institutions are designed to enable that.

The Washington Post

Digital technologies were designed to enable perfect copies; they were not designed to enable control over these copies.

MIT Technology Review

It's almost designed to enable evil to happen.

The New York Times

The swing change, designed to enable him to draw the ball on demand, has not taken.

The New York Times - Sports

It is designed to enable people of modest means to get through the courtroom door".

The Guardian

"The steps we are taking today are designed to enable us to meet that responsibility".

The New York Times

It was designed to enable 3,000 people to survive for 30 days after an attack.

The New York Times

Mechanisms would have to be designed to enable these diverse people and ideas to be combined.

Harvard Business Review

They are not designed to enable people to change who's in power.

The Washington Post

Sponsored tweets are designed to enable business to pay for messages which target potential customers.

Independent

Services may be defined as activities designed to enable personnel or material to perform more effectively.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "designed to enable", clearly state what the design facilitates. Specificity enhances clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "designed to enable" without specifying the intended outcome. For instance, instead of saying "the system is designed to enable," specify "the system is designed to enable efficient data processing".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "designed to enable" functions as an infinitive of purpose, clarifying the objective behind a specific design or action. As Ludwig highlights, it serves to explain what a particular system or process is intended to achieve.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Academia

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "designed to enable" is a grammatically correct and versatile construction used to indicate the purpose of a system, design, or action. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is widely used and generally accepted in formal and informal writing. It is most frequently encountered in scientific and news contexts, but also appears in business and academic writing. Alternatives such as "intended to facilitate" or "developed to allow" can be used to add variety to your writing. Remember to clearly state what the design facilitates to maximize clarity. Given its widespread use and clear grammatical structure, "designed to enable" remains a reliable and effective phrase for expressing intent and functionality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

developed to allow

Focuses on the developmental aspect and the allowance of a specific action.

intended to facilitate

Emphasizes the ease and smoothness of the action being enabled.

engineered to support

Highlights the technical aspect of design, emphasizing support for a function.

created to permit

Highlights the permission aspect, focusing on removing restrictions.

optimized to promote

Focuses on optimization with the goal of furthering something.

configured to assist

Emphasizes the role of configuration in providing assistance.

structured to foster

Highlights how something is structured with the aim of fostering growth or development.

set up to generate

Focuses on setting up a system to generate a specific outcome.

tailored to produce

Emphasizes customization to achieve a specific product or result.

meant to activate

Highlights the intention to initiate or trigger a certain process.

FAQs

How do I use "designed to enable" in a sentence?

Use "designed to enable" to explain the purpose of a system, process, or feature. For example, "The software is designed to enable users to easily manage their accounts."

What are some alternatives to "designed to enable"?

You can use alternatives such as "intended to facilitate", "developed to allow", or "engineered to support" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "designed to enable" or "designed for enabling"?

"Designed to enable" is generally preferred because it is more concise and direct. "Designed for enabling" is less common and can sound awkward.

What's the difference between "designed to enable" and "intended to enable"?

While both phrases are similar, "designed to enable" typically refers to a physical design or system, whereas "intended to enable" can refer to a more abstract plan or intention. The phrases are often interchangeable.