expressions of understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "expressions of understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to ways in which people convey their comprehension or empathy towards a situation or another person's feelings. Example: "In our discussion, we shared various expressions of understanding to show support for each other's perspectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And so it would be really great that there is like a cream or a pill so women won't have to always have the epidurals…" Expressions of understanding the unexpected aspects of science: This category codes moments when students realize that scientific inquiry can be unpredictable and this unpredictability can influence their research.

CBE Life Sciences Education

The Clinton supporters in the room sat respectfully through all this and offered expressions of understanding and support.

Huffington Post

Models play a critical role as expressions of understanding, as engines of ecological inference, and as indicators of the benefits, costs, and consequences of alternative management strategies.

Environmental Management

Verbal expressions of empathy may involve words of supportiveness, expressions of understanding, or invitations to the patient to tell his or her story of the experience of illness or pain.

Clinical interventions in aging

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It is important to reveal mechanism of abnormal E-cadherin expression for understanding the mechanism of invasion and metastasis of lung cancer cells and finding new targets for clinical treatment.

BMC Cancer

Having started out listening patiently with an expression of understanding, Mr. Butler by meeting's end had begun to roll his eyes, while Mr. Demby stared into the distance, shaking his head.

The New York Times

This is intelligible, Frege thought, only if you have different ways of understanding the expressions 'a' and 'b' — only if they involve for you distinct 'modes of presentation' of the self-same object to which they refer.

SEP

These data illustrate the importance of understanding the expression of regulatory receptors on immune cells and the potential for manipulation of these pathways.

Critical Care

Many technological advances such as microarrays are enabling this paradigm shift that indicates an unprecedented advancement in the methods of understanding the expression of toxicity at the molecular level.

Environmental Health Perspectives

This can include the expression of emotions, understanding the emotions of others, and emotion regulation.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

This is the only way. 2. Encourage and engage in any forms of direct address to people from the other side with positive expressions of sympathy, understanding or care.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "expressions of understanding" to show empathy or indicate shared comprehension in interpersonal or professional communications. This demonstrates active listening and builds rapport.

Common error

Avoid using "expressions of understanding" when you simply mean agreement. Ensure that the context genuinely reflects comprehension of the other person's perspective, rather than just a superficial alignment of views.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expressions of understanding" functions primarily as a noun phrase. As indicated by Ludwig, it denotes ways of conveying comprehension or empathy. It is used to describe actions or statements that show that someone understands a situation or another person's feelings.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expressions of understanding" is a grammatically correct noun phrase denoting actions or statements that convey comprehension and empathy. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability. While not exceedingly common, it appears across diverse contexts such as science, news media, and formal business settings, making it a versatile option for professional and interpersonal communications. To use it effectively, focus on showing genuine comprehension rather than merely expressing superficial agreement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

declarations of understanding

Replaces 'expressions' with 'declarations', emphasizing a formal statement of comprehension.

verbalizations of comprehension

Replaces 'expressions' with 'verbalizations', specifying the use of spoken language.

demonstrations of empathy

Shifts focus from understanding to the outward display of empathy.

signs of comprehension

Focuses on observable indicators of understanding.

manifestations of agreement

Emphasizes agreement as a result of understanding, rather than the understanding itself.

indications of awareness

Highlights the awareness component rather than the full depth of understanding.

gestures of acknowledgement

Shifts the focus to non-verbal cues that show acknowledgement.

acknowledgments of insight

Focuses on acknowledging a gained insight.

attestations of awareness

Formal replacement that highlights the act of attesting to being aware.

confirmations of knowledge

Highlights the verification or confirmation of acquired knowledge.

FAQs

How can I show "expressions of understanding" in a conversation?

You can use verbal cues like "I understand", "That makes sense", or reflective statements summarizing the speaker's points. Non-verbal cues such as nodding and maintaining eye contact also help demonstrate understanding.

What's the difference between "expressions of understanding" and "expressions of sympathy"?

"Expressions of understanding" indicate comprehension, while "expressions of sympathy" convey compassion and support, especially during times of distress. You can understand someone's situation without necessarily feeling sympathy.

Are there any formal alternatives to "expressions of understanding"?

Yes, formal alternatives include "declarations of understanding", "attestations of comprehension", or "demonstrations of insight". The best choice depends on the specific context.

How to avoid sounding insincere when offering "expressions of understanding"?

Be genuine in your response, and actively listen to the speaker. Use specific details from their narrative to show that you're truly engaged and comprehend their perspective. Avoid generic or dismissive responses.