expand the understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

"expand the understanding" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used in a sentence to indicate the act of increasing or broadening one's knowledge or comprehension of a subject or topic. Example: The lecture on climate change helped to expand our understanding of the impact of human activities on the environment.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

We are trying to expand the understanding of Breitenbach's work, which relates to Pictorialism, modernism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.

The New Yorker

Dr. White, 37, holds the distinguished young faculty chair at Deerfield, where she teaches advanced-placement biology and yeast genetics, the latter being a course that seeks to expand the understanding of programmed cell death.

The New York Times

This is a clear case where the biography of an author could expand the understanding of his masterwork, and it is a great tribute to Sara Wheeler's "Cherry" that one turns from her biography back to Cherry's own work with renewed, not undiminished, relish, with, if it can be possible, a heightened appreciation of his story.

The New York Times - Books

"I think we could expand the understanding of some companies of what ecosystem services are supplied and how they might want to think about them in the future," says Ann Kinzig, chief research strategist for the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University.

The Guardian

Further studies can expand the understanding of these methods and their clinical relevance by investigating effects due to variable amplitude loading and environment.

International Journal of Fatigue

The main objective of this study is to expand the understanding on the role of surfactants during gas hydrate formation at surfaces.

Chemical Engineering Science

Not only does this study expand the understanding of hydrologic response and erosion, it also provides an important database for the hydrology community.

Journal of Hydrology

The aim of this research was to expand the understanding of how we can analyze 911 call transcripts for crime analysis and solving.

Security Informatics

Our results not only expand the understanding of HCV entry, but also present a promising target for the invention of HCV entry inhibitor.

Protein & Cell

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

The institute is devoted to expanding the understanding of Western history and culture as they developed from Middle Eastern foundations.

The New York Times - Arts

Research on BECs has expanded the understanding of quantum physics and has led to the discovery of new physical effects.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "expand the understanding" to highlight the positive outcome of learning, research, or discussion. It demonstrates a growth in comprehension.

Common error

Avoid using "expand the understanding" without specifying what is being understood. Without context, the phrase becomes vague and lacks impact. For example, instead of saying "This will expand the understanding", specify "This research will expand the understanding of climate change impacts."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expand the understanding" functions as a verbal phrase, typically used as part of a larger verb construction (e.g., 'aims to expand the understanding'). According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is used to describe the process of increasing knowledge or comprehension. The examples provided by Ludwig show its usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

74%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expand the understanding" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that signifies the process of increasing knowledge or comprehension. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and clarity. Predominantly found in scientific and academic contexts, it conveys the intention or result of broadening one's awareness. While alternatives like "broaden the understanding" and "deepen the understanding" exist, it's crucial to maintain specificity and avoid overgeneralization when employing this phrase to maximize its impact. Remember to define what exactly is being understood. By using "expand the understanding" thoughtfully, you can effectively highlight growth in comprehension in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

broaden the understanding

Replaces "expand" with "broaden", suggesting a widening of comprehension.

deepen the understanding

Replaces "expand" with "deepen", emphasizing a more profound comprehension.

enhance the comprehension

Uses "enhance" instead of "expand" and "comprehension" instead of "understanding", focusing on improving understanding.

extend the knowledge

Similar to expanding but emphasizes extending the limits of existing knowledge.

increase the awareness

Shifts the focus to awareness rather than pure understanding.

develop the insight

Focuses on developing a deeper insight.

advance the insight

Suggests moving insight forward.

foster the knowledge

Emphasizes the cultivation of knowledge instead of just expanding understanding.

improve the perception

Focuses on improving how something is perceived.

enrich the knowledge

Emphasizes making knowledge richer or more full.

FAQs

How can I use "expand the understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "expand the understanding" to describe how knowledge or comprehension grows. For instance, "The new study aims to "expand the understanding" of quantum physics."

What are some alternatives to "expand the understanding"?

Alternatives include "broaden the understanding", "deepen the understanding", or "enhance the comprehension" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "expand the knowledge" or "expand the understanding"?

While both are valid, "expand the knowledge" refers to increasing the amount of information known, while "expand the understanding" implies improving comprehension of existing information. Choose the one that best fits your intended meaning.

What's the difference between "broaden the understanding" and "expand the understanding"?

"Broaden the understanding" suggests widening the scope of comprehension, while "expand the understanding" can refer to increasing both the depth and scope of knowledge. The terms are largely interchangeable, but "broaden" emphasizes scope.