function as an objective

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "function as an objective" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing the role or purpose of something in a specific context. For example, "The new policy will function as an objective to improve employee engagement." Alternative expressions include "serve as a goal" and "act as a target."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Unfortunately, this flood of startups and new ventures has also unleashed a direct attack on the integrity of journalism, namely its function as an objective source of news.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Fox News provided what amounted to wall-to-wall coverage of Tea Party gatherings, supporting a Republican campaign vehicle while maintaining the pretense of functioning as an objective news organization.

The New York Times - Books

The state functions as an objective, disinterested institution that resolves disputes about individual property and enforces compliance with those determinations.

SEP

This combination of two lenses functions as an objective to focus the collimated laser beam.

Biomedical Optics Express

In our case, we have adopted function D as an objective function of genetic algorithm that estimates the remoteness of the current solution from an optimal one.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

The environmental impact in terms of CO2 emissions is integrated with the exergoeconomic objective function as a new objective function.

Energy

Step 4: Solve the first objective function as a single objective problem.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

Here the optimization process for such dissipative attachments will use as an objective function the spatial average of the mean square response over the extent of the beam.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

A generalized compliance of structures, defined as the inner product of prescribed loading and response function, is selected as an objective function.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

In this study, the damping scale function is used as an objective function to coordinate power system stabilizers and a static synchronous compensator with damping stabilizer parameters under various power system operating conditions to address high-frequency oscillation problems.

International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems

Other authors claim priority for other "oughts": Mason (2013) favors the probability function that is most reasonable for the agent to adopt in response to her evidence, given her epistemic limitations, while Oddie and Menzies (1992) favor the objective chance function as a measure of objective rightness.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical writing, ensure the reader knows whether you mean 'objective' as a goal (noun) or 'objective' as a mathematical function (noun phrase).

Common error

Writers sometimes use the phrase when they actually mean 'function objectively' (an adverbial use). If you are describing how an action is performed, use the adverb. Use "function as an objective" only when something is literally a target or a goal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "function as an objective" typically operates as a verb phrase followed by a prepositional complement. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently used to define the utility or role of an entity. In many instances found in Ludwig, it serves to bridge a subject (like a policy or a variable) with its intended purpose.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

1.5%

Wiki

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "function as an objective" is a highly versatile and correct English expression. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is particularly dominant in scientific literature, where it often appears as part of the technical term "objective function" used in optimization and genetic algorithms. However, it also maintains a strong presence in journalism and social sciences to describe entities that must maintain neutrality (as an "objective source") or serve as a societal goal. When using this phrase, clarity is key: ensure that the surrounding context distinguishes between 'objective' as a noun (a goal) and 'objective' as an adjective (neutrality). Overall, it is a robust choice for writers seeking to define purpose and function with precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

serve as a goal

More common in general or business contexts to describe an intended outcome.

act as a target

Implies a specific point of achievement or a literal destination.

operate as an optimization metric

Used specifically in mathematical or computational contexts to describe a variable being minimized or maximized.

serve as a criterion

Implies the objective is used for evaluation or decision-making.

function as an unbiased source

Focuses on the adjectival meaning of 'objective' (neutrality) rather than the noun (goal).

be used as a performance indicator

Specific to business and organizational management contexts.

work as an aim

Slightly less formal but conveys the same sense of purpose.

constitute a benchmark

Suggests that the objective is a standard against which other things are measured.

exist as a purpose

More philosophical, focusing on the reason for something's existence.

function as a requirement

Changes the goal from 'desired' to 'mandatory'.

FAQs

How do I use "function as an objective" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a role, such as: "The new algorithm will "function as an objective" to minimize energy waste."

What can I say instead of "function as an objective"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "serve as a goal", "act as a target" or "operate as a benchmark".

Is "function as an objective" formal enough for research papers?

Yes, it is highly appropriate. In fact, it is a standard expression in optimization theory where specific variables "function as an objective function".

What's the difference between "function as an objective" and "serve as an objective"?

The two are largely interchangeable, though "serve as an objective" is often preferred in social or organizational contexts, while "function as" is more common in technical and scientific fields.