index toward

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "index toward" is not grammatically correct or commonly used in written English.
It is unclear what the intended meaning of this phrase is. It is possible that you may be trying to use the verb "to index," which means to organize or arrange in a particular order. In this case, it would be more natural to use the preposition "to" after the verb, as in "index to." For example: "The book is indexed to make it easier to find information."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Besides its higher selectivity (therapeutic index) toward bacterial cells than LL-37, Py11 showed highly increased proteolytic stability against trypsin digestion and maintained its antimicrobial activity in the presence of physiological salts.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Anticancer activity evaluation using seven cancer cell lines and two non-malignant cell lines demonstrated that several derivatives display significant anticancer activity and great selectivity index toward T-lymphoblastic leukaemia cells.

Bioorganic Chemistry

Further study will be necessary to improve predictive accuracy of the prognostic index toward clinical application for evaluation of the risk of recurrence in patients with advanced-stage serous ovarian cancer.

Plosone

Pairwise comparisons revealed a significantly higher aggression index toward bacteria-injected workers compared to control, saline-injected and bead-injected workers.

BMC Genomics

As a result, the relationship between the present attentional bias index toward threat and the degree of negative emotions was significant at 12 months (.527).527

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

But the biggest worry for investors is the outlook for that sector, which is threatening to lead the market's major indexes toward their worst year in decades.

The New York Times

The biggest worry for investors is the outlook for the technology sector, which is threatening to lead the stock market's major indexes toward their worst year in decades.

The New York Times

Unrest abroad and a crummy consumer confidence reading at home spooked U.S. market s Tuesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average below the 10,000 threshold and pushing other indexes toward key support levels.

Forbes

Evaluation of the anticancer activity of these agents using seven cancer cell lines and two healthy cell lines found that several derivatives had potent anticancer activity and excellent selectivity indexes toward cancer cells.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

In addition, our measure of synchronization benefits from the fact that volume conduction inflates synchronization indices toward the maximally possible values.

Cerebral Cortex

We have shown that fragmentation of asexual populations attenuates the turnover of clones [ 13] and drives the neutrality indices toward positive values, whereas population fluctuations tend toward the opposite.

Biology Direct

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "index toward" in formal writing. Instead, consider alternatives such as "index in the direction of" or more specific phrases that clarify the intended meaning.

Common error

Don't assume that "index toward" is a universally acceptable substitute for more precise directional or relational phrases. Always evaluate the context to ensure the chosen alternative accurately conveys the intended meaning. Incorrect usage can lead to confusion and ambiguity. For example, using "index in the direction of" is clearer when you mean something is physically pointing towards something else.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "index toward" functions primarily as a directional or relational indicator, though its grammatical correctness is disputed. It aims to show how one item is oriented or connected to another, as observed in the Ludwig examples. However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, more precise alternatives exist to improve clarity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "index toward" is not grammatically correct, and its use is discouraged in formal writing. As Ludwig AI indicates, while some examples exist across news and scientific domains, more precise and grammatically sound alternatives are recommended. The analysis shows its intended function is to express direction or relationship, but its ambiguity makes it less effective than alternatives such as "index in the direction of". Therefore, while it appears in various contexts, writers should opt for clarity and grammatical correctness by choosing alternative phrases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

index in the direction of

This alternative more clearly indicates a directional relationship, specifying that the index is pointing or moving in a particular direction.

index oriented towards

This suggests that the index is designed or structured to favor a specific outcome or area.

indicator pointing to

Replaces "index" with "indicator", emphasizing the role of signaling or suggesting a particular result or conclusion.

leaning toward the index

This suggests a bias or preference in the direction of the index.

indices tending to

Using plural form of "index" and the verb "tending" suggests a general trend or inclination.

factor correlated with index

This specifies a statistical relationship between a factor and the index.

metric associated with index

Replaces the directional aspect with an association, suggesting that the metric is related to the index.

pointer directed at

A "pointer" is being aimed at something.

measure linked to index

Instead of direction, this focuses on the connection between a measure and the index.

benchmark aligned with index

Indicates that a benchmark is set in accordance with the index.

FAQs

Is "index toward" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "index toward" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use more precise alternatives like "index in the direction of" or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

What can I say instead of "index toward"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "index in the direction of", "index oriented towards", or "indicator pointing to".

How can I improve the clarity of sentences using "index"?

To enhance clarity, avoid ambiguous phrasing. Instead of "index toward", specify the relationship you intend to convey, such as direction, correlation, or influence. Being explicit avoids confusion and strengthens the writing. Consider also rephrasing your sentence completely using other semantically equivalents words.

In what contexts is "index toward" most likely to appear?

While not always grammatically sound, "index toward" might appear in technical or scientific writing where the intended meaning relates to direction or influence. However, even in these contexts, more precise language is preferable.