have been overlooking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been overlooking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has failed to notice or consider something over a period of time. Example: "In our discussions, we have been overlooking the importance of team collaboration."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Speak to people you know about the jobs they do – the reality of doing them can be extremely different from how they appear on paper and you may find you have been overlooking ideas that could work well for you".

The Guardian

The government would thus have been overlooking "the implications of what is proposed for the position of the established Church".

BBC

So it's time to start looking over the obesity floodplain we have been overlooking, and build the levee -- one sandbag at a time.

Huffington Post

The DGAC decided to de-emphasize nutrients altogether, and instead to emphasize the very items we have been overlooking, foods and dietary patterns.

Huffington Post

"A win in Pennsylvania would suggest that advocates maybe have been overlooking state constitutions ― many of which, like Pennsylvania's, have more expansive and robust rights and protections than the federal constitution," Li wrote in an email.

Huffington Post

Because you see, Tommy's niece is the girl that Barb hit with her car, and the kid is dealing meth at the casino, and Tommy and his father have been overlooking it, and now Bill got them ejected from the casino's board and... zzzzz.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

We have been overlooked.

The Guardian

Or they may have been overlooked.

The New York Times - Sports

It may, of course, have been overlooked.

The Economist

These ladies have been overlooked".

The New York Times

Women and girls have been overlooked.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been overlooking" to express a failure to recognize the importance of something over a period of time. For clarity, specify what has been overlooked and why it matters.

Common error

Avoid using "have been overlooking" in vague contexts. Ensure that the sentence clearly indicates what has been overlooked and its significance to maintain clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been overlooking" functions as a verb phrase, specifically a present perfect continuous tense. It indicates an action (overlooking) that started in the past and has continued up to the present. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through its examples and grammatical analysis.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "have been overlooking" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used to express a past and continuing oversight. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples across various contexts. It's most commonly found in News & Media and Science, serving to introduce a previously neglected aspect of a situation. When using this phrase, specificity is key to avoid vagueness. Consider alternatives such as "have been neglecting" or "have been ignoring" for nuanced meanings. While the phrase is common, it needs to be employed with precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been neglecting

This alternative focuses on a lack of care or attention.

have been disregarding

Implies a conscious decision to ignore something.

have been ignoring

Similar to 'disregarding' but can also suggest a lack of awareness.

have been missing

Highlights the failure to notice or include something.

have been failing to notice

More explicit about the failure to perceive something.

have been underestimating

Suggests a misjudgment of the importance or value of something.

have been undervaluing

Similar to 'underestimating', but emphasizes a lack of appreciation.

have been omitting

Focuses on leaving something out, either intentionally or unintentionally.

have been excluding

Suggests a deliberate act of leaving something out.

have been glossing over

Implies a superficial treatment of something, avoiding deeper examination.

FAQs

How can I use "have been overlooking" in a sentence?

Use "have been overlooking" to indicate a failure to notice or consider something important. For example, "We "have been overlooking" the significance of early childhood education in our policy decisions."

What can I say instead of "have been overlooking"?

Alternatives include "have been neglecting", "have been ignoring", or "have been missing", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "we are overlooking" instead of "we have been overlooking"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they convey different meanings. "We are overlooking" implies a current, ongoing oversight, while "we "have been overlooking"" suggests an oversight that has occurred over a period of time.

What's the difference between "have been overlooking" and "failed to notice"?

"Have been overlooking" implies a continuous lack of attention over a period, while "failed to notice" suggests a single instance of not noticing something. The former indicates a pattern, whereas the latter points to a specific event.