meant warning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "meant warning" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "meant as a warning"? If this is the case, you can use it when indicating that something was intended to serve as a caution or alert. Example: "The sign was meant as a warning about the slippery floor."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Weak regulation meant warning signs were missed or ignored.Yet some of the most worrying sections of the report describe what happened after the collapse.

The Economist

For NIH, for example, it has meant warning grantees that the second, third, and fourth years of a 4-year research grant may be smaller than what the scientist expects.

Science Magazine

The latest results show that bruxism can be referred to as not a disorder but a physiological activity in response to stress [ 38], which was phylogenetically encoded in humans, where baring the teeth in primitive people meant warning [ 10].

BioMed Research International

(Perhaps that's what the sign meant: "Warning, Germans with cartoon moose stickers").

The Guardian - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

(Caveat is Latin for "let him beware". In English, it means "warning". In Mr. Haig's lexicon, it meant to say something with a warning that it might or might not be so).

The New York Times

In general, priority 1 means warnings that should be corrected and probably represents a fault reviewer would like to correct; priority 2 represents not so critical warnings but that may be interesting to be analyzed after the ones with priority 1; and priority 3 means warnings related to coding style and are considered informational.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

On Fox, his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was asked what the frontrunner meant by warning on Saturday that the RNC faces a "rough July" at a contested convention.

The Guardian

Fire alarm, means of warning in case of fire.

Encyclopedia Britannica

That means that warning signs of a terrorist attack could again be lost in the chaos.

The New York Times

This is how Carvoyant knows what it means when warning lights on a car's dashboard appear, but it will also go a step further.

TechCrunch

The shootings included in the reports include all cases in which weapons are fired, including those meant as warning shots.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you want to express that something was intended to alert someone of a potential danger, use the phrase "intended as a warning" or "meant to serve as a warning" for better grammatical correctness.

Common error

Do not use the phrase "meant warning" directly. Always include "as a" or "to serve as a" to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct. For instance, use "meant as a warning" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meant warning" is typically intended to function as a declarative statement, indicating the purpose or intention behind an action or sign. However, Ludwig AI indicates it is grammatically incorrect and requires adjustment such as "meant as a warning".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

31%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "meant warning" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests the proper usage is "meant as a warning" or "intended as a warning". This phrase is used to indicate that something was designed to alert someone to a potential danger or problem. While it appears in various contexts, it's most common in news and media. Always ensure the correct grammatical structure to avoid confusion. The most authoritative sources that use this phrase include The New York Times and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intended as a warning

This alternative uses a more grammatically correct structure with "intended" instead of "meant".

meant to serve as a warning

This phrase explicitly states the purpose of the action or sign as a warning.

designed to warn

Focuses on the design or purpose behind the warning.

was intended to alert

Uses "alert" as a synonym for "warn", clarifying the intention.

constituted a warning

This phrase suggests that something functioned as a warning, even if it wasn't explicitly stated.

served as an advance warning

Highlights that the warning was given in advance.

was a cautionary signal

Emphasizes the signal aspect of the warning.

gave an early indication

Indicates that something provided a preliminary warning of potential issues.

provided a heads-up

An informal way of saying that someone was given a warning.

foreshadowed the danger

Implies the warning was a sign of an impending threat.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "meant warning" in a sentence?

The phrase "meant warning" is grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "meant as a warning" or "intended as a warning" to convey the correct meaning. For example, "The sign was "meant as a warning" about the slippery floor".

What does it mean when something is "meant as a warning"?

It means that something is designed or intended to alert someone to a potential danger or problem. It's a signal to be cautious or to take preventative measures.

Are there formal alternatives to "meant as a warning"?

Yes, more formal alternatives include "intended to serve as a warning", "designed to alert", or "constituted a warning". The best choice depends on the specific context.

What's a more direct way to say something "meant as a warning"?

A more direct way to phrase this could be "warned against" or "cautioned about", depending on the situation.