isolated incidents

USAGE SUMMARY

'isolated incidents' is a grammatically correct phrase.
It is used to refer to individual occurrences that don't form any patterns or trends. For example, "Although there have been plenty of incidents of violence, they have mostly been isolated incidents."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Many students stressed these were "isolated incidents", but isolated incidents can still evidence cultural norms and entrenched values.

Independent

These are isolated incidents — mind you they are 30 days apart — but they are isolated incidents".

The New York Times

These were not isolated incidents.

The Economist

Ours are not isolated incidents.

The Guardian - Opinion

Can't imagine these are isolated incidents.

The New York Times

"These are not just isolated incidents.

The Guardian

And these are not 286 isolated incidents.

The Guardian

"These weren't just isolated incidents," she said.

The New York Times

Mexican officials call the recent crimes isolated incidents.

The New York Times

Meeran said: "Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents.

The Guardian

Yet at that stage those were isolated incidents.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "isolated incidents", ensure the context clearly indicates that the events are not part of a larger pattern or systemic issue. Avoid using it to downplay serious concerns that may have underlying causes.

Common error

Avoid using "isolated incidents" to dismiss genuine trends or systemic problems. Accurate data analysis and thorough investigation are necessary to determine if events are truly isolated or indicative of a broader issue.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "isolated incidents" functions as a noun phrase, often used as an object or complement in a sentence. It serves to categorize specific occurrences as not being connected to a larger pattern or trend, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

81%

Wiki

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "isolated incidents" is grammatically correct and widely used to describe occurrences that are not part of a larger pattern or trend. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s commonly employed in news and media to reassure audiences or minimize concerns. However, it's essential to use the phrase judiciously, ensuring it accurately reflects the situation and doesn't downplay genuine issues. Alternatives like "sporadic events" or "unrelated occurrences" can offer nuanced ways to convey similar meanings while avoiding potential misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

individual occurrences

Highlights that each event happened independently, without being part of a trend.

sporadic events

Replaces "incidents" with "events" and "isolated" with "sporadic", suggesting occurrences that happen irregularly.

unrelated occurrences

Focuses on the lack of connection between events, highlighting their independence.

rare instances

Stresses the uncommon nature and low frequency of the specific situations.

one-off cases

Emphasizes the singularity and non-repetitive nature of the events.

infrequent happenings

Uses more general terms to describe events that don't occur regularly.

scattered episodes

Suggests that the events are distributed sparsely and without a clear pattern.

exceptional situations

Emphasizes how these occurrences are deviations from the norm or expectation.

atypical events

Describes incidents as not conforming to the usual type or pattern.

unique circumstances

Highlights the distinctive and non-replicable nature of the events.

FAQs

How can I use "isolated incidents" in a sentence?

You can use "isolated incidents" to describe events that are not part of a pattern. For example, "While there were a few complaints, these seemed to be "isolated incidents" rather than a widespread problem."

What are some alternatives to "isolated incidents"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "sporadic events", "unrelated occurrences", or "one-off cases".

Is it appropriate to describe serious events as "isolated incidents"?

Describing serious events as "isolated incidents" can be misleading if there's a potential for a larger systemic issue. It's important to ensure that such a characterization is accurate and does not diminish the significance of the events.

How do I determine if events are truly "isolated incidents" or part of a trend?

To determine if events are truly "isolated incidents", thorough investigation and data analysis are crucial. Look for patterns, underlying causes, and connections between events to assess whether they are genuinely independent or part of a broader trend.