formulate themselves

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "formulate themselves" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing how ideas, thoughts, or plans develop or take shape independently or autonomously. Example: "The concepts began to formulate themselves as the team brainstormed together, leading to innovative solutions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"That speaks to the impossibility of an absolute context or place," she writes, "and to the ways in which places formulate themselves to different people".

The New York Times - Arts

And as you experiment [and] explore, your strategies actually formulate themselves.

BBC

The narratives allowed the women to reflect and formulate themselves through this opportunity to tell their own stories with the aim to analyse their experiences [ 24].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

What's particularly interesting about this breed is its propensity to oppose all opinions that they haven't formulated themselves.

Huffington Post

After reaching the point of semi-retirement Paul has relocated to New York, found himself drawn towards a spiritual journey of discovery and redirected his interest towards working on several novels that have been formulating themselves in the back of his mind over the years.

Huffington Post

As it stands, readers with experience in biology are left to formulate for themselves the developmental and evolutionary importance of social and other environmental impacts on natural variation in all species, beyond the psychological mechanisms of large-bodied, charismatic vertebrates.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Help class participants to formulate questions themselves.

WikiHow

In the end, only the concerned parties can themselves formulate and advocate their (true) interests.

SEP

When using mathematics to solve problems in everyday life, problem solvers must recognize and formulate problems by themselves because structured problems are not provided.

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

Because structured problems are not provided when using mathematics in everyday life, problem solvers must recognize and formulate problems by themselves (Ishida and Inoue 1983; Singer and Voica 2013).

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

After all, children can be removed from an abusive home for their own protection, even if they can't formulate those issues themselves in court.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "formulate themselves" when you want to emphasize the autonomous and independent development of ideas, strategies, or identities. It's particularly effective when describing a natural or organic process.

Common error

Avoid using "formulate themselves" in highly formal or technical writing where a more precise and active verb might be more appropriate. Consider alternatives like 'develop' or 'establish' for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "formulate themselves" functions as a reflexive verb phrase. It describes a process where something (ideas, strategies, etc.) develops or takes shape autonomously. As Ludwig AI explains, this phrasing emphasizes the independent nature of the formulation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "formulate themselves" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the autonomous development of ideas, strategies, or identities. While relatively rare, as reported by Ludwig, it's suitable for various contexts including news, science, and formal business settings. It is important to note that all the examples from Ludwig, are very balanced among different sources. Alternatives like "develop independently" or "shape themselves" can be used to convey similar meanings, but "formulate themselves" specifically emphasizes the independent nature of the process.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

develop independently

Focuses on the autonomous development process, without the specific connotation of 'formulating'.

independently form

Focuses on the autonomous formation of ideas, plans, or structures.

evolve on their own

Highlights the gradual evolution of something without external influence.

shape themselves

Emphasizes the act of taking form autonomously, less about the planning or creation aspect.

take shape on their own

Emphasizes the autonomous process of forming a definite structure or pattern.

self-develop

Implies a personal and conscious effort in developing one's self.

autonomously create

Highlights the independent creation process.

spontaneously arise

Indicates an unexpected and unprompted emergence.

organically emerge

Highlights a natural and gradual process of coming into being.

materialize independently

Stresses the independent realization or appearance of something.

FAQs

How can I use "formulate themselves" in a sentence?

You can use "formulate themselves" to describe how ideas, thoughts, or plans develop or take shape independently. For example: "The concepts began to "formulate themselves" as the team brainstormed together, leading to innovative solutions."

What are some alternatives to "formulate themselves"?

Alternatives include "develop independently", "evolve on their own", or "shape themselves", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "formulate themselves" or "are formulated"?

The choice depends on the intended meaning. "Formulate themselves" implies an autonomous process, while "are formulated" suggests an external agent is doing the formulating. Use "formulate themselves" to emphasize self-generation.

What's the difference between "formulate themselves" and "articulate themselves"?

"Formulate themselves" refers to the process of developing or creating something internally, such as ideas or strategies. "Articulate themselves", on the other hand, means to express one's thoughts or feelings clearly and effectively.