longed to be unique

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "longed to be unique" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing a desire or yearning for individuality or distinctiveness. Example: "Growing up, she often felt out of place and longed to be unique, to stand out from the crowd."

✓ Grammatically correct

Arts

Literature

General Usage

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

All produced printed images that longed to be unique objects.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Deception, for instance, long thought to be unique to humans, is present in monkeys and crows, which can even hide their attempts to deceive.

The New York Times - Books

Either these primers are not long enough to be unique across the genome or recombination may be the mutagenic force behind these particular markers.

Applications in Plant Sciences

Another interesting finding is the presence of ethylene biosynthesis and signalling pathway genes (Table 4), long thought to be unique to land plants.

BMC Plant Biology

Ideally, these tags are long enough to be unique to the transcript in question, and the number of copies of a given tag is proportional to the expression level of that transcript in the original mRNA pool.

BMC Genomics

"Both the low inflow and high outflow have long been thought to be unique characteristics of STEM disciplines," Jeffrey Mervis wrote in a News & Analysis article in this week's Science.

Science Magazine

It may be argued that vertical transmission of R1 and R2 over a long evolutionary time could be unique to site-specific non-LTRs.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The vertical orientation of the dorsal process in front of the ribcage was long believed to be a unique apomorphy of turtles, but a recent study demonstrates that this arrangement is universally found among basal amniotes [ 10].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Every single one of the six longest entries is unique to New York Times puzzles as of today, and they are fun: I liked SECRET HANDSHAKE, BACKWARD MESSAGE, and IN DRIBS AND DRABS the most.

The New York Times

21 22 30 Whereas the short chain is ubiquitously expressed and is a receptor component of other type II-related cytokines (IL-10, IL-22, IL-26), the long chain is unique to IFNλ and has a limited tissue distribution.

Gut

For long sequences, k-mers would not necessarily be unique due to repetitive elements.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "longed to be unique" to express a deep, often sentimental, desire for individuality, especially when describing a character's inner feelings or motivations.

Common error

Avoid using "longed to be unique" in formal or professional writing where a more direct or objective phrasing would be more appropriate. Consider alternatives like "sought differentiation" or "aimed for distinctiveness".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "longed to be unique" functions as a verb phrase followed by an infinitive phrase, expressing a subject's intense desire for individuality. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "longed to be unique" expresses a profound desire for individuality. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, though its usage is relatively rare. It functions primarily to convey a strong, emotional yearning for distinctiveness, often within narrative contexts. While acceptable across various media, it is less suited for formal or professional writing, where more objective phrasing may be preferred. Alternatives such as "yearned for individuality" or "desired to stand out" can provide similar meaning with slight shifts in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yearned for individuality

Replaces "longed" with "yearned" and uses a noun instead of an infinitive phrase.

desired to stand out

Uses a different verb and emphasizes the act of being noticed.

craved distinction

Employs a stronger verb ("craved") and a more formal noun ("distinction").

aspired to be different

Focuses on the aspiration for difference.

sought uniqueness

Uses a more active verb ("sought") and a noun form of "unique".

had a deep desire for individuality

Expresses the desire in a more explicit and descriptive way.

wished to be exceptional

Focuses on being above average or outstanding.

felt a strong need for recognition

Shifts the focus to the need for acknowledgment of one's uniqueness.

dreamed of being unparalleled

Emphasizes the aspiration to be unmatched or unrivaled.

hungered for originality

Uses a visceral verb ("hungered") and focuses on the quality of being original.

FAQs

How can I use "longed to be unique" in a sentence?

You can use "longed to be unique" to describe someone's deep desire to be different or stand out. For instance: "Growing up, she often felt out of place and "longed to be unique", to stand out from the crowd."

What are some alternatives to "longed to be unique"?

You can use alternatives like "yearned for individuality", "desired to stand out", or "craved distinction" depending on the context.

Is "longed to be unique" formal or informal?

"Longed to be unique" is generally more suited to descriptive or narrative contexts, and might be seen as less formal. In professional settings, consider using phrases like "sought differentiation".

What's the difference between "longed to be unique" and "wished to be unique"?

"Longed to be unique" suggests a deeper, more emotional desire than "wished to be unique". "Longed" implies a stronger yearning or craving.