look like increasing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "look like increasing" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to describe a trend or pattern that appears to be on the rise, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "The data from the last quarter look like increasing sales figures, indicating a positive trend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Still, one is struck not just by the inconsistencies in Putin's speech but by what look like increasing irregularities in his management.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

What looks like increasing income inequality turns out to be mostly increasing income instability.

The New York Times

He added: "I do worry about what looks like increasing underperformance by young men".

The Guardian

His turnover was around £3 million last year and looks like increasing substantially.

The Guardian

New writing has always been built into the National's DNA, but Norris looks like increasing its prominence.

The Guardian

"This looks like increasing momentum for same-sex marriage," he said of Tuesday's developments, "but I've got to say it's still 41 to 9. It's been pretty rare for the court to take on 41 states".

The New York Times

He added: "I do worry about what looks like increasing under-performance by young men".

BBC

This seems to suggest that what looks like increased faith in government is actually faith in Mr Obama.

The Economist

Stewards must expand their concept of what "supply chains" look like and embrace an increasing diversity of players.

Global health, science and practice

Users's expectations for what a modern mobile app should look like have increased drastically over the last year or so.

TechCrunch

With the risk of no progress at all looking like an increasing possibility.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing trends, use grammatically correct alternatives like "seem to be increasing" or "appear to be growing" instead of the ungrammatical "look like increasing".

Common error

Avoid using "like" to directly connect a verb of perception ("look", "seem") with a gerund ("increasing"). This creates a grammatically awkward construction. Instead, use "to be" + gerund to create a continuous verb form.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "look like increasing" attempts to function as a descriptive expression, aiming to convey that something exhibits characteristics suggesting an upward trend. However, it is grammatically non-standard and Ludwig AI marks it as incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

32%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "look like increasing" is an ungrammatical construction that attempts to describe something that appears to be on the rise. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect. More suitable alternatives include phrases like "seem to be increasing" or "appear to be growing", which are grammatically sound and convey the intended meaning more effectively. The phrase is rare, and while it appears across various contexts such as News & Media and Science, its incorrect grammar makes it unsuitable for formal use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seem to be increasing

Replaces the verb "look" with "seem", offering a more grammatically sound way to express a perceived increase.

appear to be growing

Uses "appear" instead of "look" and "growing" instead of "increasing", providing a similar meaning with slightly different vocabulary.

give the impression of increasing

Emphasizes the subjective perception of an increase, highlighting that it's an impression rather than a definitive fact.

suggest an upward trend

Focuses on the trend itself rather than the appearance, implying that the evidence points towards an increase.

indicate a rising pattern

Similar to "suggest an upward trend", but uses "pattern" to emphasize the regularity of the increase.

appear to be on the rise

A more idiomatic way of saying something is increasing, focusing on the overall trend.

seem to be escalating

Implies a rapid or dramatic increase, suggesting the situation is becoming more intense or serious.

are trending upward

Uses the term "trending" to highlight that the increase is a current phenomenon often observed or tracked.

show signs of growth

Focuses on the indicators of growth rather than the growth itself, implying that there's evidence of an increase.

point toward an increase

Highlights that various factors or data suggest an increase is likely or probable.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct way to say something "look like increasing"?

Instead of saying something "look like increasing", use phrases like "seem to be increasing", "appear to be growing", or "suggest an upward trend" to express the same idea with correct grammar.

Is it ever correct to use "look like" with a verb ending in -ing?

Yes, but not directly. You can say "look like [something] is increasing". For example, "It looks like the momentum is increasing", is correct because "is" follows "something".

What's the difference between "look like increasing" and "looks like an increase"?

"Look like increasing" is grammatically incorrect. "Looks like an increase" is correct and means there are signs or indications of a rise or growth.

When should I use "seem to be increasing" instead of "appear to be increasing"?

Both "seem to be increasing" and "appear to be growing" are interchangeable in most contexts. The choice often comes down to personal preference, as they convey a similar meaning of a perceived increase or growth.