flash upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "flash upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It typically means to abruptly appear in one's mind or in a scene. For example: The answer to my math problem suddenly flashed upon me.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The Vanguard's six-minute video features a man speaking as written phrases flash upon the screen.

The New Yorker

Wordsworth, lying on his couch "In vacant or in pensive mood", is filled with "a poet's" pleasure and gaity as he remembers the scene and watches it flash "upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude".

The Guardian - Books

Equally, when the prime minister used to say, by way of a drink-pricing justification: "It's just too easy for people to get drunk on cheap alcohol at home", there would invariably flash upon that inward eye an image of Mr Cameron, "chillaxing" on a Sunday, after what his biographers estimated to be "a few glasses of wine".

The Guardian - Opinion

I speculate that the memory of these books in their plain red or orange covers – their flash upon his inward eye – must have provided Corbyn with a rare pleasurable moment in the past few weeks: the thought of them on his shelves having same kind of heart-filling effect that the daffodils had on Wordsworth.

The Guardian - Opinion

For oft when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude, And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the Daffodils.

Huffington Post

To assess the impact of a reduced calcium flash upon the inflammatory response, we monitored the numbers of hemocytes drawn to laser-induced epithelial wounds under a range of pharmacological and genetic treatments.

Current Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

"It flashed upon me," the narrator declares, "that this was the happy man.

The New York Times

"I flashed upon this fact: 2017 is the 40th anniversary of the world's most influential disco in history, Studio 54.

The Guardian - Music

Three days later, sitting in my Westminster office, surveying the post-apocalyptic landscape and reflecting upon the zombie-like behaviour of my new Twitter admirers, an unusual email flashed upon my screen.

The Guardian

For example, he said, the beam tubes must remain free of dust that could drift onto optics and heat up, burning the optical surfaces when the powerful laser light flashed upon them.

The New York Times - Science

When Clark suggests what we should do for impoverished coffee growers, he does so with the same spark of insight about market freedoms that must have once flashed upon the young Adam Smith: "Demand the best-tasting coffee you can get".

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "flash upon" to vividly describe sudden realizations or memories. It's particularly effective in narrative writing to create a sense of immediacy.

Common error

Avoid using "flash upon" interchangeably with phrases like "dawn on" or "occur to" if you want to emphasize the sudden, almost startling nature of the realization or memory. These alternatives have a more gradual or neutral connotation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "flash upon" primarily functions as a verb phrase, often used in narrative or descriptive contexts. It describes a sudden appearance or realization, as showcased in Ludwig's examples, highlighting its role in conveying abrupt mental events.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "flash upon" is a verb phrase used to describe the sudden appearance of a thought or image. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and suitability for conveying a sense of immediacy. While less frequent in everyday conversation, as pointed out by Ludwig examples, it adds vividness to narrative and descriptive writing, particularly in contexts like news reporting and scientific writing. Related phrases include "dawn on" and "come to mind", though they lack the emphasis on suddenness. When using "flash upon", consider the context to ensure its level of formality aligns with the intended audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suddenly occur to

Emphasizes the suddenness of the thought coming to mind.

dawn on

Implies a gradual understanding, unlike the suddenness of "flash upon".

spring to mind

Implies a quick and effortless recollection.

come to mind

A more general way of saying something was remembered.

leap out

Conveys a vivid and attention-grabbing emergence into consciousness.

strike

Highlights the forceful impact of the realization.

hit

Similar to strike, but conveys a more abrupt impact.

become apparent

Focuses on the clarity gained, differing from the suddenness.

register

Emphasizes the brain's reception of the thought or idea.

occur

A neutral term for something coming to mind without the suddenness.

FAQs

How can I use "flash upon" in a sentence?

Use "flash upon" to describe a sudden memory or realization. For example, "The answer to the riddle suddenly flashed upon me".

What is an alternative to using "flash upon"?

You can use alternatives like "dawn on", "come to mind", or "suddenly occur" to convey a similar meaning, though with slightly different nuances.

Is it correct to say "flashed upon me"?

Yes, "flashed upon me" is grammatically correct and means that something suddenly came to your mind.

What’s the difference between "flash upon" and "dawn on"?

"Flash upon" implies a sudden, almost instantaneous realization, while "dawn on" suggests a gradual understanding or realization.