it is rather curious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it is rather curious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing a sense of intrigue or puzzlement about a situation or observation. Example: "It is rather curious that the results of the experiment did not align with our initial hypothesis."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

And it is rather curious - or absurd, shall I say - to feel irrelevant as an individual at times when the very ones rendering you irrelevant so passionately argue for "the individual".

The Guardian - Opinion

True, but it is rather curious, then, that decades of communist and nationalist resistance, not to mention the thousands abducted and murdered by the Shah's secret police only drew out the masses after the megalomaniac sent his forces to the dusty city of Qom to beat up a few kids at a religious school and then kicked an old cleric out of the country.

The Guardian - Opinion

"It is rather curious that it hasn't been brought up, but I would hope that thinking people have moved beyond that," said Peter McVay, of Atkinson, New Hampshire.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

And so, it's rather curious why HTC is pushing its first Android 3.x tab to retail at the end of Honeycomb's life cycle.

TechCrunch

She asked him: 'What is to be done?' I have to admit I was rather curious myself.

The Guardian

Although we initially identified an interaction between UBC12 and Peforin-2 in a yeast two-hybrid screen, this result is rather curious as this NEDD8 conjugating enzyme is not thought to directly interact with CRL substrates.

eLife

The clinical picture was rather curious.

The New Yorker

AS BUSINESSES go, stock exchanges are rather curious.

The Economist

Christians are rather curious to discover that we share the Old Testament.

Huffington Post

Romney's responses to questions about his 'unusual' (for a presidential wannabe) financial behavior are rather curious.

Huffington Post

Everyone was curious what it was — a surprising event since I thought it was rather unnoticeable.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is rather curious" to express mild surprise or intrigue, especially when pointing out an unexpected or unusual detail.

Common error

Avoid using "it is rather curious" too frequently in your writing, as it can make your tone sound repetitive or affected. Vary your phrasing to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is rather curious" functions as an evaluative statement, expressing a subjective assessment of something as being unusual or unexpected. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it is rather curious" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express mild surprise or intrigue. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in English writing. While suitable for various contexts, it's most commonly found in News & Media and Science. When using the phrase, ensure it aligns with your intended tone and audience, and consider the suggested alternatives to prevent overuse. Be mindful of the slight formality of the expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's quite odd

Replaces "rather curious" with "quite odd", slightly changing the tone to be more informal.

it's somewhat strange

Uses "somewhat strange" instead of "rather curious", softening the sense of surprise.

it's a bit peculiar

Substitutes "rather curious" with "a bit peculiar", suggesting a slightly more unusual observation.

it's quite intriguing

Replaces "rather curious" with "quite intriguing", shifting the focus to the fascinating aspect.

it's a little mysterious

Uses "a little mysterious" instead of "rather curious", emphasizing the enigmatic quality.

it's somewhat baffling

Substitutes "rather curious" with "somewhat baffling", highlighting the confusing nature of the situation.

it's a puzzle

Simplifies "it is rather curious" to "it's a puzzle", directly stating the situation is perplexing.

it's an enigma

Replaces "rather curious" with "an enigma", emphasizing the mysterious and inexplicable nature.

it raises questions

Shifts the focus from curiosity to the act of questioning, implying the situation is thought-provoking.

it warrants investigation

Suggests the curious nature justifies further examination or inquiry.

FAQs

How can I use "it is rather curious" in a sentence?

You can use "it is rather curious" to express mild surprise or intrigue. For example, "It is rather curious that the experiment yielded such unexpected results."

What are some alternatives to "it is rather curious"?

Some alternatives include "it is quite odd", "it is somewhat strange", or "it is a bit peculiar" depending on the context.

Is "it is rather curious" formal or informal?

"It is rather curious" leans towards a slightly formal tone, but is suitable for many contexts. More informal options exist, such as "that's kind of weird".

When is it appropriate to use "it is rather curious"?

Use "it is rather curious" when you want to express a mild sense of surprise or intrigue about something. It's appropriate when you want to point out something is unusual or unexpected but not necessarily alarming.