devised an answer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "devised an answer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the act of creating or formulating a response to a question or problem. Example: "After much consideration, she devised an answer that satisfied all parties involved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Recently, the curators at Cinebeasts devised an answer to this quandary of selection: you lead with your shoulder, and jam it all in.

The New Yorker

And given he was to address a bunch of rugby journalists only three days after the Six Nations had been settled, he might have guessed what would come up and devised an answer supportive of Lancaster, because that's his job until the day he decides England are going off the rails and a new man is needed, which he isn't.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In a rhyming contest I witnessed in Borneo, the women danced opposite the men, and a soloist on either side sang a rhyming stanza, which the opposing soloist had to devise an answer to.

The Guardian - Books

Whether even the wisdom of King Solomon, and his magical avian emissary, can devise an answer to this threat is one of the great challenges of the coming days.

The New York Times

Terry, the coach, devised a solution.

The New York Times - Sports

Eric Kokish from Toronto devised a solution.

The New York Times

He even devised a diplomatic answer that avoided challenging the existence of God.

The Economist

The effort was devised as an answer to criticism that the war effort essentially started from scratch every year with the arrival of each fresh rotation of officers.

The New York Times

Ashima had devised an unforeseen solution.

The New Yorker

With this in mind, we aimed to devise a short answer survey to guide and inform the impending CPC implementation in Ireland.

BMC Medical Education

That, combined with a proliferation of training and education formats that, without justification through specific needs assessment, are unlikely to be effective [ 11] encouraged us to devise a short answer survey to guide and inform the impending CPC implementation in Ireland.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "devised an answer", ensure that the context suggests a degree of ingenuity or deliberate planning in creating the response. It's more suitable for situations requiring thought or problem-solving than simple, spontaneous replies.

Common error

Avoid using "devised an answer" when a simpler term like "gave an answer" or "responded" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "devised an answer" functions as a verb phrase, where "devised" acts as the main verb, "an" is an article, and "answer" is the noun. Grammatically, it describes the action of creating or formulating a response. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "devised an answer" is a grammatically sound phrase that describes the intentional creation of a response. Ludwig AI affirms its usability, particularly in contexts requiring thought and ingenuity. While not exceptionally common, it frequently appears in news and media, science, and wiki sources. For alternative expressions, consider "formulated a response" or "crafted a solution" to better suit the specific nuance you aim to convey. Bear in mind to avoid overuse in simple contexts to maintain clarity and conciseness in your writing. While suitable for a variety of contexts, formal/scientific and business setting benefit most.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formulated a response

Replaces "devised" with "formulated", emphasizing the structured and planned nature of the answer.

crafted a solution

Substitutes "answer" with "solution" and "devised" with "crafted", highlighting the skillful creation of a resolution.

composed an answer

Replaces "devised" with "composed", which emphasizes the careful arrangement and structure of the answer.

came up with a response

Uses a more informal idiom to convey the act of generating an answer.

concocted a reply

Suggests an inventive and potentially elaborate answer.

developed a strategy

Implies a more thought-out and planned answer, often in a problem-solving context.

contrived a response

Indicates that the answer was created ingeniously, perhaps even artificially.

invented a solution

Suggests a novel and original solution was created.

figured out a response

Implies the answer was found after some consideration or problem-solving.

originated a reply

Highlights the creation of a completely new and unique response.

FAQs

What does "devised an answer" mean?

The phrase "devised an answer" means to create or formulate a response, typically one that requires some thought or ingenuity. It implies a deliberate effort to come up with a solution or reply.

How can I use "devised an answer" in a sentence?

You can use "devised an answer" in sentences like: "After considering the problem, the engineer "devised an answer" that solved the issue" or "The politician "devised an answer" to the difficult question during the press conference".

What are some alternatives to "devised an answer"?

Some alternatives to "devised an answer" include "formulated a response", "crafted a solution", or "came up with a response", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "devised a solution" or "devised an answer"?

Whether you use "devised a solution" or "devised an answer" depends on the context. "Devised a solution" is better when addressing a problem, whereas "devised an answer" is suitable for responding to a question or inquiry. The best choice depends on the specific scenario.