is somehow arbitrary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is somehow arbitrary" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something appears to lack a clear reason or justification, often in discussions about choices or decisions. Example: "The criteria for selecting the finalists in the competition is somehow arbitrary, as it seems to depend more on personal preferences than on objective measures."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The 5-year threshold, like any alternative threshold, is somehow arbitrary.

Latin American Economic Review

An example of such a successfully detected event is given in Fig. 4, which is analyzed in detail in Section 4. Obviously, the way in which the algorithm separates ULF wave events is somehow arbitrary and different values of the initial wavelet power threshold may yield different results.

Earth, Planets and Space

The choice of the value of the potential at the destination is somehow arbitrary and, as a rule of thumb, it should be a number smaller than the potential of the neighbors (whose distance is (r=1) or (r=sqrt {2}), the latter if movements along diagonals are allowed), but not so small to avoid a potential well so deep that the rest of the landscape is almost flat.

EPJ Data Science

Interestingly, determining the prior odds Oprior is somehow arbitrary that it requires an assumption about the number of positives (mitochondrial proteins).

Plosone

Here, the cutoff of 0.4 is somehow arbitrary, but we get similar results using different cutoffs from a reasonable interval (data not shown).

BMC Genomics

The categorization of priors given in Figure 1 is somehow arbitrary and some models can be considered special or limiting cases of others.

Genetics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Also, selecting the value of 75% of right answers in the psychometric curve for inferring the threshold was somehow arbitrary.

Biomedical Optics Express

Actually, the notion of pathway is somehow an arbitrary concept based, in some cases, on historical or theoretical concepts that may include many different actual functional roles.

BMC Systems Biology

But this is somehow classical..

Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences

This finding is somehow counterintuitive.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

Everyone was somehow fine.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is somehow arbitrary", ensure the context clarifies what specific aspect is arbitrary. This adds precision and prevents misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid overuse in highly formal or technical writing. While grammatically correct, consider more precise alternatives like "lacks a clear rationale" or "is subjectively determined" for enhanced clarity and professionalism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is somehow arbitrary" functions as a predicate adjective, describing a subject as lacking a clear or logical basis. As Ludwig AI explains, it expresses that something appears to lack a clear reason or justification. The word 'somehow' softens the assertion, suggesting a degree of uncertainty.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is somehow arbitrary" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that indicates a lack of clear justification or logical basis. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While it can be used across different contexts, its appropriateness depends on the level of formality required. Consider stronger or more precise alternatives in formal or technical writing. The phrase appears most frequently in scientific and news media contexts. As detailed by Ludwig, ensuring clarity about what exactly "is somehow arbitrary" is key to effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lacks a clear rationale

Points out the absence of a well-defined or logical justification.

is rather subjective

Emphasizes the role of personal opinion or perspective in the decision or assessment.

is quite random

Highlights the lack of any discernible pattern or purpose.

is essentially discretionary

Focuses on the freedom of choice and judgment involved.

is largely based on chance

Indicates that the outcome depends heavily on luck or unpredictable factors.

is somewhat unprincipled

Suggests a lack of adherence to established rules or ethical standards.

is open to interpretation

Emphasizes that different individuals may understand or apply it in varying ways.

is not consistently applied

Highlights the uneven or unpredictable nature of its implementation.

is subject to whim

Implies that the decision is based on sudden or capricious inclinations.

is determined by happenstance

Indicates that the outcome depends on coincidental or unplanned events.

FAQs

How can I use "is somehow arbitrary" in a sentence?

You can use "is somehow arbitrary" to indicate that something lacks a clear or logical justification. For example, "The cutoff for the study group is somehow arbitrary, as it doesn't seem to align with any specific criteria."

What phrases are similar to "is somehow arbitrary"?

Similar phrases include "is rather subjective", "lacks a clear rationale", or "is quite random", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "is somehow arbitrary" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "is somehow arbitrary" might be perceived as slightly informal due to the "somehow". Consider more formal alternatives like "is subjectively determined" or "is discretionary" in formal contexts.

What makes something described as "is somehow arbitrary" questionable?

When something "is somehow arbitrary", it suggests that the basis for a decision or categorization is not well-defined, transparent, or consistently applied, raising concerns about fairness or validity.