filtering

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "filtering" is a correct and commonly used word in written English.
It can be used both as a noun and as a verb. For example: "The filtering mechanism has been successfully implemented in our water supply system."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Its solar-powered pumps, tanks and filter banks are capable of filtering larger quantities of water stored in a 150,000-litre reservoir underneath the central courtyard, and pumped daily to provide drinking water on demand.

The Guardian

Furthermore, Younger says if you decide to ditch bottled water, you don't need to compensate by filtering what comes out of the tap.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

First, according to the UK source, "written definitions for targeting and filtering are very elastic.

The Guardian

The mountain of laundry I had left behind suddenly seemed a long way away as I stuffed my face with lemon cake and mint tea, and took in the final rays of the pink-soaked afternoon sun filtering through the trees.

The Guardian - Travel

News began filtering through of the deal between the leaders of the world's top two emitters of greenhouse gases – the United States and China.

The Guardian

Then we were queueing up for another rollercoaster and an air ambulance flew over and news started filtering through and all the Alton Towers staff were evacuating the area".

The Guardian - Travel

Once the domain of elite athletes, smartclothing is slowly filtering down the high street.

The Guardian - Tech

And putrefying matter washed out due to rains will meet this filtering material and stay there allowing only water to pass through.

The Guardian

After that, we didn't really know what it was, then it started filtering through that something bad had happened.

The Guardian - Travel

In the words of Noresi, "filtering is like having a thorn in your leg, a thorn you have forgotten is there".

The Guardian - Tech

It involves three stages of targeting, filtering and selection: First, choosing which communications links, or bearers, to access: GCHQ's systems operate on a very small percentage of the bearers that make up the internet.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a process that removes unwanted elements, use "filtering" to convey precision and efficiency. For instance, "filtering data" effectively communicates the removal of irrelevant information.

Common error

Do not use "filtering" when a simpler verb like "removing" or "separating" is sufficient. Overusing "filtering" can make your writing sound overly technical and less clear.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "filtering" is as a verb in its present participle form or as a gerund. It describes an action or process of selectively removing or separating elements, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Filtering is a versatile term, commonly used as a verb to describe the process of selectively removing or separating elements. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical status is correct, and its frequency is very common across various contexts, including news, science, and business. While "filtering" effectively conveys precision and efficiency, it's important to avoid redundancy by using simpler verbs when appropriate. When it comes to alternative verbs you can consider "purifying", "screening", or "refining" depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

purifying

Focuses specifically on removing impurities or contaminants.

refining

Highlights the process of improving or perfecting something by removing unwanted elements.

screening

Implies a process of selecting or rejecting based on specific criteria.

processing

Emphasizes the act of performing a series of operations on something.

sieving

Like straining, involves separating materials through a mesh or screen.

straining

Refers to separating solids from liquids or coarser elements from finer ones.

separating

Indicates the act of distinguishing or isolating specific elements.

sifting

Involves separating desirable elements from undesirable ones, often metaphorically.

extracting

Focuses on removing a particular substance or element from a mixture.

winnowing

Suggests separating valuable parts from worthless ones, often in a metaphorical sense.

FAQs

How to use "filtering" in a sentence?

You can use "filtering" to describe a process of removing unwanted elements, such as "filtering water" to remove impurities or "filtering data" to remove irrelevant information.

What can I say instead of "filtering"?

You can use alternatives like "purifying", "screening", or "refining" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "filtering" or "filtration"?

"Filtering" is the present participle and gerund of the verb "filter", while "filtration" is a noun referring to the process itself. Use "filtering" when describing an ongoing action and "filtration" when referring to the process as a whole.

What's the difference between "filtering" and "screening"?

"Filtering" generally implies removing unwanted elements from a substance or data set, while "screening" involves selecting or rejecting items based on specific criteria. "Screening" often has a connotation of assessing suitability or eligibility, which "filtering" lacks.