glean information

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "glean information" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about the process of learning something indirectly or by searching for it in different places. For example, "I used the internet to glean information about the latest security protocols."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Astute diagnosticians also glean information from people's faces.

The New York Times

The Seahawks have two distinct examples from which to glean information.

The New York Times - Sports

Today's young Europeans can go anywhere, and glean information from all sorts of sources.

The New York Times

In a negotiation, you might use similarly indirect tactics to glean information.

Harvard Business Review

From Walsh, who played 11 seasons in the N.F.L., he learned how to glean information from watching film.

The New York Times - Sports

Why shouldn't we sacrifice copyright and privacy so that consumers can glean information as efficiently as possible?

The New Yorker

Experts on reading difficulties suggest that for struggling readers, the Web may be a better way to glean information.

The New York Times - Books

The New York Police Department is using it to glean information about groups that it says may pose a threat.

The New York Times

Hackers try to infiltrate routers to glean information or use them as launching pads for further attacks.

Designing and Building Enterprise DMZs

Some high-frequency traders use these "order cancellation" strategies to glean information about the market and their rivals.

The New York Times

Some companies plug into the exchanges where firms buy and sell advertising just to glean information about users and publishers.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "glean information" when you want to emphasize the effort or indirectness involved in discovering information from various sources or by careful searching.

Common error

Avoid using "glean information" excessively in formal reports or academic papers if more direct synonyms like "obtain" or "gather" are more appropriate for the tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "glean information" is as a verb phrase where "glean" acts as a transitive verb taking "information" as its direct object. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "glean information" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that describes the process of carefully extracting information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and business. The phrase emphasizes the effort and selectivity involved in acquiring information. To avoid overuse, consider synonyms like "obtain" or "gather", especially in formal contexts. The examples show that the phrase is versatile, but its nuance of careful extraction should be kept in mind to use it most effectively. Its frequent occurrence in authoritative sources underscores its reliability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

obtain information

A direct synonym, implying a more general process of getting information.

gather information

Suggests collecting information from multiple sources.

collect data

Focuses on gathering factual information, often in a systematic way.

extract information

Implies carefully pulling out specific details from a larger source.

acquire knowledge

Highlights the gaining of understanding or expertise.

ascertain details

Suggests finding out specific facts to be sure of something.

learn the facts

Emphasizes discovering and understanding factual information.

uncover insights

Focuses on revealing hidden or less obvious information.

dig up data

Suggests a more investigative or persistent search for information.

ferret out details

Implies finding information that is difficult to find or hidden.

FAQs

How can I use "glean information" in a sentence?

You can use "glean information" to describe the process of extracting relevant details from a larger set of data, as in: "Researchers were able to "glean information" from the study's participants by carefully analyzing their responses".

What's the difference between "glean information" and "gather information"?

"Glean information" suggests a more painstaking or indirect process of discovery, while "gather information" implies a more general collection from various sources.

Is it appropriate to use "glean information" in formal writing?

Yes, "glean information" is appropriate, but consider whether a more direct synonym like "obtain" or "extract" might be clearer or more concise in the context of formal writing. It depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What are some contexts where "glean information" is commonly used?

The phrase "glean information" is often used in contexts related to research, analysis, intelligence gathering, and investigative journalism.