gathered looking for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "gathered looking for" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete thought and lacks proper grammatical structure, making it difficult to determine its intended use. Example: "They gathered looking for clues in the old house."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Groups of up to 30 or 40 people gathered looking for an unguarded section or potential weak point.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Here, in the early morning, hundreds of men and boys, farmers from all over northern India, gather looking for work as labourers on the city's building sites.

Independent

Students can also revisit their lists of gathered favorites, looking for sentences that also tell a story.

The New York Times

At Davos, world leaders gathered to look for a way out of the crisis.

The Guardian - Business

The meteorologists and engineers who gathered here were looking for physical manifestations of the storm's intensity, assessing the sturdiness of shattered houses and the distance traveled by heavy objects.

The New York Times - Science

Of course, it will always be possible to gather extra data, looking for finer and finer detail hence the trend towards specialisation in the universities.

The Economist

The amazing spectacle happens when huge numbers of the rays (Mobula munkiana) gather to look for mates.

BBC

Hundreds of residents gathered outside, some fruitlessly looking for long-lost relatives they hoped were inside.

The New York Times

Early this morning, more than a hundred Afghan men gathered near the site looking for jobs as translators.

The New York Times

The lawsuit said the officer drove an unmarked van to a park where day laborers had gathered to await employers looking for workers.

The New York Times

NJ CURE, which is organized as a "reciprocal exchange" -- sort of a cooperative, I gather -- is actually looking for drivers like me, people with imperfect but not awful driving records.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a group actively searching, consider using more precise verbs like "scoured", "hunted", or "explored" instead of "looking for" to enhance clarity and impact.

Common error

The phrase "gathered looking for" can sound awkward. Instead of using a gerund after "gathered", try to clarify the purpose of gathering with an infinitive phrase, for example, "gathered to search for" or "gathered to look for".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gathered looking for" functions as a participial phrase where 'gathered' acts as a verb describing the action of assembling, and 'looking for' is a gerund phrase indicating the purpose of the gathering. However, according to Ludwig AI, this specific combination is not considered grammatically correct and needs to be adjusted for clarity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "gathered looking for" appears in various contexts, including News & Media and Wiki sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it's not grammatically ideal. The phrase aims to convey a group assembling with the intent to find something, but it can sound awkward. For improved clarity and formality, consider alternatives like "assembled in search of" or clarifying the purpose with an infinitive phrase like "gathered to look for". Therefore, while the phrase isn't incorrect, it's advisable to use more precise and grammatically sound alternatives to enhance the quality of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assembled in search of

Replaces "gathered" with "assembled" and "looking for" with "in search of", creating a more formal tone.

congregated to find

Substitutes "gathered" with "congregated" and rephrases "looking for" as "to find", emphasizing the purpose of the gathering.

met to seek

Uses simpler verbs, replacing "gathered" with "met" and "looking for" with "seek", resulting in a more concise expression.

came together to locate

Emphasizes the act of joining by using "came together" and replaces "looking for" with "to locate", suggesting a specific target.

united in the quest for

Implies a shared goal or purpose by using "united" and replaces "looking for" with "in the quest for", adding a sense of determination.

convened with the aim of finding

Presents a formal tone using "convened" and clarifies the intent to find something specific by using "with the aim of finding".

got together seeking

This is an informal option, substituting "gathered" with "got together", while using "seeking" instead of "looking for".

collected to hunt for

Uses "collected" in place of "gathered" and "hunt for" instead of "looking for" to suggest more intense search.

banded together to discover

Replaces "gathered" with "banded together", implying a sense of collaboration, and "looking for" with "to discover", which suggests something unknown

rallied to pursue

Emphasizes the proactive nature of the search by using "rallied" and replaces "looking for" with "to pursue", indicating a determined effort.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "gathered looking for" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "assembled in search of" or "convened with the aim of finding", which offer a more polished and sophisticated expression.

What are some alternatives to "looking for" in the phrase "gathered looking for"?

Instead of "looking for", you could use "searching for", "seeking", or "hunting for", depending on the context and the intensity of the search.

Is "gathered looking for" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "gathered looking for" can sound awkward. It's often better to use a clearer construction such as "gathered to look for" or "assembled in search of" to improve grammatical flow and clarity.

What's the difference between "gathered looking for" and "gathered to look for"?

"Gathered to look for" is generally preferred over "gathered looking for" because it more clearly expresses the purpose of the gathering. The infinitive form "to look for" explicitly indicates the intention behind the action of gathering.