identify potential

USAGE SUMMARY

"identify potential" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It means to recognize or discover something with the potential for success or growth. Example: The company conducted a market analysis to identify potential new customers.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"People don't identify potential.

Independent

He declined to identify potential takeover targets.

The New York Times

Students can identify potential mentors.

Harvard University

It did not identify potential buyers.

The New York Times

But also do your own research and identify potential organisations.

The Guardian

Blood banks nationwide must then identify potential victims.

The New York Times

Prevention applies cognitive reckoning to identify potential threats.

Harvard Business Review

To identify potential risk factors involved.

Ophthalmology

Help us identify potential speakers with Harvard connections.

Harvard University

Foresight programmes look beyond normal planning timescales to identify potential opportunities from new science and technologies.

The Guardian

The intention is to make it easier for buyers to identify potential services.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "identify potential", ensure you clearly define what constitutes "potential" in the given context to avoid ambiguity. For example, "identify potential customers" should specify criteria for ideal customers.

Common error

Avoid using "identify potential" in excessively broad or vague contexts. Instead of saying "We need to identify potential," specify what areas or aspects require identification to make the statement more actionable and meaningful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "identify potential" functions as a verb phrase, where 'identify' is the main verb and 'potential' acts as an adjective modifying an implied noun (e.g., opportunities, risks, candidates). Ludwig examples show its use in recognizing future possibilities or capabilities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "identify potential" is grammatically correct and widely used, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves to highlight the action of recognizing future possibilities or capabilities. Found frequently across news, academic, and scientific domains, its register adapts to the context, ranging from professional to neutral. To ensure clarity, it's best to specify what "potential" refers to, avoiding overuse in vague contexts. Alternatives such as "recognize possibilities" or "assess prospects" offer nuanced variations, depending on the specific shade of meaning you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Recognize possibilities

Focuses on acknowledging opportunities instead of explicitly assessing their potential.

Assess prospects

Emphasizes evaluating the likelihood of future success or gain.

Determine capabilities

Highlights evaluating existing skills and resources rather than future possibilities.

Spot opportunities

Emphasizes quickly noticing chances or openings as they arise.

Ascertain future

Focuses on discovering something with future.

Detect possibilities

Implies uncovering opportunities that may not be immediately obvious.

Uncover opportunities

Highlights the process of revealing chances.

Discover prospects

Stresses the act of finding or noticing future chances.

Evaluate possibilities

Focuses on a careful and methodical assessment.

Pinpoint opportunities

Suggests identifying chances with precision.

FAQs

How can I use "identify potential" in a sentence?

You can use "identify potential" to describe the process of recognizing possible opportunities, threats, or candidates. For example, "The company aims to identify potential markets for its new product" or "The security team works to identify potential threats to the system".

What are some alternatives to "identify potential"?

Alternatives to "identify potential" include "recognize possibilities", "assess prospects", or "determine capabilities" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "identify potential" or "determine potential"?

"Identify potential" and "determine potential" are similar but have slightly different nuances. "Identify potential" suggests a broader search, while "determine potential" implies a more focused evaluation of something already identified.

What does "identify potential" mean in a business context?

In a business context, "identify potential" typically refers to recognizing possible opportunities for growth, investment, or improvement. This might involve "spotting opportunities" in new markets, "uncovering opportunities" for cost savings, or "discovering prospects" for new revenue streams.