looking for circumstances

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "looking for circumstances" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you are inquiring about specific conditions or situations that may affect a decision or outcome. Example: "The team is looking for circumstances that could impact the project's timeline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Now we're looking for circumstances.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As Karl Popper who has emphasized that there is a unity of method in all generalizing or theoretical sciences has insisted, every scientific hypothesis must be testable, and the way to test it is to look for circumstances in which it does not hold.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These five methods look for circumstances which are common among the phenomena of interest, those which are absent when the phenomena are, or those for which both vary together.

SEP

Informal settlements now stretch nearly to Stellenbosch's wine country, attracting people from the impoverished Eastern Cape and neighbouring countries who are looking for better economic circumstances.

BBC

On their Christmas vacation, which they spent in Morocco, he told her his proposal was forthcoming; he was just "looking for the right circumstance," he said.

The New York Times - Style

My favorite images are those that tell a story or make the viewer wonder what's going on, so I look for those circumstances.

Huffington Post

The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them".

Huffington Post

Four years ago the DWP told us it goes through around 18m records, looking for changes to personal circumstances that might affect entitlement, and that errors do occur.

The Guardian - Money

The authorities are looking for links in the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the women, who were found in brush about 500 feet apart from one another off a highway in Gilgo Beach and who have not yet been identified.

The New York Times

And it tells what would have been, in an earlier era, the story of a woman, a good-hearted, hard-working striver selling sex appeal, pursuing dreams and looking for true love in difficult circumstances.

The New York Times

Ken Lin, CEO of CreditKarma.com, wrote a Mashable article explaining that banks and lenders could be looking for changes in your financial circumstances, what your friends' financial standing is, and upcoming life changes like a marriage or divorce.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "looking for circumstances", ensure that the context clearly indicates what type of circumstances you are seeking. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "looking for circumstances" in situations where a more specific search term would be more appropriate. For example, instead of "The team is looking for circumstances related to project failure", consider "The team is analyzing the causes of project failure".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looking for circumstances" functions as a verb phrase where "looking for" acts as a transitive phrasal verb, and "circumstances" is the direct object. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to inquire about or seek out particular conditions or situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "looking for circumstances" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that denotes an active search or investigation into specific conditions or factors influencing a situation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity for written English.

It is most frequently found in news and media, scientific, and wiki contexts, as well as encyclopedias, formal business, and reference contexts, exhibiting a neutral register suitable for diverse applications. When using this phrase, clarity and specificity are key to avoiding ambiguity. Alternatives such as "seeking specific conditions" or "investigating contextual elements" can be used to add nuance or formality. It's important to be mindful of the specific needs of the context to have an effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seeking specific conditions

Replaces "looking for" with "seeking" and "circumstances" with "conditions", emphasizing the act of actively searching for a particular state.

identifying relevant conditions

Emphasizes the identification of conditions that are pertinent to a specific situation.

searching for situational factors

Substitutes "circumstances" with "situational factors", highlighting the elements that compose a situation.

assessing circumstantial details

Highlights the evaluation of specific details that make up the circumstances.

investigating contextual elements

Uses "investigating" to denote a more thorough search, and "contextual elements" in place of circumstances.

scouting for conditions

Uses "scouting" as an action verb, meaning to explore and seek, as if gathering information for the user.

exploring ambient conditions

Replaces "looking for" with "exploring", suggesting a broader search. "Ambient conditions" indicates the surrounding state.

researching prevailing situations

Highlights the act of conducting an investigation to understand prevailing or dominant situations.

ascertaining the state of affairs

Replaces "looking for" with "ascertaining", indicating an effort to find out the current state.

examining existing situations

Focuses on "existing situations" rather than searching for unspecified circumstances.

FAQs

What does "looking for circumstances" mean?

The phrase "looking for circumstances" means to seek out or investigate specific conditions, situations, or factors that might influence an event, decision, or outcome. It implies an active search for relevant contextual elements.

What can I say instead of "looking for circumstances"?

You can use alternatives like "seeking specific conditions", "investigating contextual elements", or "examining existing situations" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "looking for circumstance" or "looking for circumstances"?

It is generally better to use the plural form, "looking for circumstances", as it usually refers to a variety of conditions or situational factors. Using the singular "circumstance" might imply you're only seeking one specific condition, which is less common.

How do I use "looking for circumstances" in a sentence?

You can use "looking for circumstances" in a sentence like this: "The detectives are looking for circumstances surrounding the crime that might provide clues" or "The company is looking for circumstances that would justify the investment".