lest I thought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lest I thought" is not correct in English.
The correct expression is "lest I think," which is used to express a concern about a potential outcome or thought. Example: "I must clarify my intentions, lest I think you misunderstood my message."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And lest I thought I deserved special treatment perhaps an extra water break Mohamed was quick to remind me that I was here to work.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

I'm happy to say I'm well ahead of schedule," he adds, lest I think he's throwing me out.

The Guardian - Music

Later we learned that one doctor "could not guess" the prognosis and had recommended chemotherapy lest I think that not enough was being done.

The New York Times - Science

Toback recalled their "late-night conversations about sex, love, madness and death" and then, lest I think I might intuit something about the ex-fighter that had escaped others, Toback suddenly issued a pronouncement: "No one gets him.

The New York Times - Magazine

My sister taught me to watch the stars this way lest I think that heaven was up, or heaven, lest I forget the stars are also below us where they sink and sail into the dark like cinders.

The Guardian

Prison is supposed to be hard, as one prisoner added, quickly, to something she was telling me about boredom, lest I think she was complaining she had referred to "you as the taxpayer" a few times in the conversation; she'd clearly heard talkback.

Vice

But lest you think I'm some Luddite reminiscing about the olden days, I think there's room for every form of skateboarding film—I just wish things were a bit more diverse.

Vice

Personally, I think a wolf would make a great pet, and lest you think I'm just speaking theoretically, you should know that my uncle used to have a wolf as a pet.

Huffington Post

I'm calling too early, aren't I?" "Oh, no," I said, lest she think I was a shiftless bum.

The New Yorker

I'll leave rogue states like Iran and North Korea out of this picture lest it be thought I am unduly negative.

Huffington Post

Much like Mike thinks his mom is silly for using chain emails to get in touch, I dread the inevitable Sunday phone calls from relatives I have to return lest they think I'm dead.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "lest I thought". The correct and widely accepted form is "lest I think". This ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing.

Common error

A common mistake is using the past tense "thought" after "lest". Always use the base form of the verb "think" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lest I thought" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "lest I think". The word "lest" introduces a clause expressing fear or concern that something might happen or be perceived in a particular way. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct expression is "lest I think,"

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lest I thought" is grammatically incorrect. The proper form is "lest I think", which expresses a concern or fear about a potential thought or impression. Ludwig AI indicates that "lest I think" is used to avoid a certain interpretation. The phrase appears mostly in News & Media contexts, with a formal register. It is essential to use the correct grammatical structure to ensure clarity and accuracy in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lest I think

Corrects the grammatical error by using the correct verb form 'think' instead of 'thought'.

in case I think

Replaces 'lest' with 'in case' for a more common and straightforward expression of concern.

for fear that I might think

Uses 'for fear that' to convey a sense of worry about a potential thought or belief.

if I were to think

A more direct conditional statement expressing the same idea.

to avoid the impression that I think

Offers a more verbose and formal way to express the desire to prevent a particular perception.

so that I don't seem to think

Focuses on avoiding a specific appearance or impression.

so as not to give the impression that I think

Similar to 'so that I don't seem to think', but slightly more formal.

in order to prevent me from thinking

Emphasizes the proactive effort to stop a particular thought from forming.

to ensure I don't come across as thinking

Focuses on ensuring a specific perception is avoided.

in the event that I were to think

Introduces a hypothetical scenario where a specific thought might occur.

FAQs

What does "lest I think" mean?

"Lest I think" means "in order to prevent anyone from thinking" or "for fear that I might think". It introduces a clause expressing a concern about how something might be perceived. For example, "I should clarify this, "lest I think" you misunderstood me."

What's the difference between "lest I think" and "lest I thought"?

"Lest I think" is grammatically correct and expresses the intention to prevent a certain thought or impression. "Lest I thought" is incorrect; the subjunctive mood requires the base form of the verb after "lest".

How can I use "lest I think" in a sentence?

You can use "lest I think" to introduce a reason for doing something, aiming to avoid a particular interpretation. For example, "I added a note, "lest I think" they would be confused."

Are there alternatives to "lest I think" that are easier to understand?

Yes, you can use phrases like "in case I think", "to avoid the impression that I think", or "for fear that I might think". These alternatives might be clearer for modern readers.