has touched on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has touched on" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a topic or subject that has been briefly mentioned or addressed. Example: "In her lecture, the professor has touched on several key issues related to climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is something she has touched on, less dramatically, in Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

The Guardian

But Mr. Weber has touched on something quite relevant.

The New York Times

But, charts or no charts, Mr. Sohm has touched on something.

The New York Times - Arts

The band has touched on many serious issues over the years, but offended very few people.

The New York Times

All design elements that Jacobs has touched on before, but the overall effect did not feel lazy or repetitive.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Mr. Cox, meanwhile, can be expected to continue to press for improved financial disclosure for individual investors, a theme that he has touched on in several speeches lately.

The New York Times

It's a subject he has touched on before, but this new contribution to the debate, and the comments it has engendered in response, are well worth a look.

The Guardian

Mr. Gbagbo's supporters mocked Mr. Ouattara's name at rallies last week and railed about his supposedly foreign origins — old xenophobic themes in politics here that the president himself has touched on in the past.

The New York Times

This last is a subject Dylan has touched on previously (in a line on Desolation Row), while several blues and folk songs have tackled it – Richard Rabbit Brownwn's Sinking of the Titanic and the Carter Family's The Titanic among them.

The Guardian - Music

An Associated Press article about a challenge by three Indians to a tribal court in Minnesota (Nov. 29) has touched on a serious concern in reporting the difficulties Indian tribes face in administering their own courts.

The New York Times

Ensuing discussion of the case has touched on familiar debates surrounding coercion, commodification, and exploitation.

Duke University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has touched on" when you want to indicate that a topic was mentioned but not explored in detail. It's ideal for summarizing content or introducing themes.

Common error

Avoid using "has touched on" repeatedly in the same piece of writing. This can make your writing sound repetitive. Instead, vary your language by using synonyms like "mentioned briefly" or "alluded to".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has touched on" functions as a verb phrase indicating that a subject has been mentioned or addressed briefly, but not explored in detail. This is supported by Ludwig's examples, where the phrase appears in contexts ranging from news articles to academic papers.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has touched on" is a common verb phrase used to indicate that a topic has been mentioned or addressed briefly, without a deep exploration. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts. While frequently found in News & Media and Academia, writers should avoid overuse and consider alternatives like "mentioned briefly" or "addressed briefly" to maintain writing clarity and variety. The phrase serves well to introduce themes, summarize content or provide a high-level overview.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

addressed briefly

Highlights a short and direct handling of the matter.

covered lightly

Emphasizes the superficial level of engagement.

made reference to

Indicates a formal and explicit mention.

mentioned briefly

Focuses on the brevity of the reference.

spoken about briefly

Highlights the verbal aspect and its conciseness.

referred to

Indicates a direct mention or citation.

alluded to

Implies an indirect reference.

examined superficially

Implies a lack of depth in the examination.

dealt with

Suggests a more thorough treatment of the subject.

glanced at

Suggests a quick and passing look.

FAQs

How to use "has touched on" in a sentence?

"Has touched on" is used to indicate that a subject was mentioned briefly but not explored in depth. For example, "The lecture "has touched on" several key points, but we will delve into them further next week."

What can I say instead of "has touched on"?

You can use alternatives like "addressed briefly", "mentioned briefly", or "referred to" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has touched on" or "touched on"?

Both "has touched on" and "touched on" can be correct depending on the tense required. "Has touched on" is present perfect, indicating something that occurred at an unspecified time in the past and is still relevant. "Touched on" is past simple, indicating something that occurred and concluded in the past.

What's the difference between "has touched on" and "has delved into"?

"Has touched on" implies a brief mention, while "has delved into" suggests a thorough and detailed exploration of a topic.