observing for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "observing for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone is watching or monitoring something with a specific purpose or intention in mind. Example: "The researchers are observing for any changes in behavior among the subjects during the experiment."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We observe the observers observing for a few, and then chunk them the deuce.

Vice

But responsible Washington observers have been responsibly observing for months that it was obviously a terrible mistake for Obama to "focus" on health care at a time when "the American people" obviously wanted the "focus" to be on "jobs".

The New Yorker

where ({V_{i}^{m}}) represents the expected sum reward of continue observing for m stopping times after ith observation and ∨ denotes the maximum.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

By now the British will know because they have been patrolling and observing for some days.

The Guardian

It was something I'd been observing for the past 30 years.

The Washington Post

Meanwhile, as people have been observing for decades, plenty of the company's other repertory is less than good.

The New York Times - Arts

Armstrong takes a tough-minded approach to alleged facts, observing for example that "the scholarly consensus is that the story of the exodus is not historical".

The Guardian - Books

In the neighborhoods of Baghdad, Iraqis have been observing for weeks the dispersal of those militias with strong personal loyalties to Mr. Hussein.

The New York Times

Dr. Hibben said a stand of ash trees around an orchard that he had been observing for years was completely free of dieback and flourishing.

The New York Times

With 20 detection modules observing for 5 years 100 kg of 82Se, the expected sensitivity should reach T0ν1/2>1026y (|mββ|<0.04 0.10eV) competitive with others experiments.

Nuclear and Particle Physics Proceedings

A new study into British gaming habits has confirmed what many industry watchers have been observing for years: the stereotype of the teenage boy playing alone in his bedroom is well and truly dead.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "observing for" to indicate a deliberate and purposeful act of watching or monitoring with a specific goal in mind. For example, "Scientists are observing for patterns in the migratory behavior of birds."

Common error

Avoid using "observing for" when simply describing a general observation without a specific intent or target. Instead of saying "I was observing for the sunset", use "I was watching the sunset".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "observing for" functions as a gerund phrase followed by a preposition, typically used to indicate the purpose or objective of the observation. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct. The examples show its use in science, news, and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "observing for" is a grammatically correct and frequently used construction that denotes a deliberate act of watching or monitoring with a specific intention. According to Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts, but is especially prevalent in scientific and news-related content. Related phrases include "monitoring for" and "watching for". When using "observing for", ensure that the context clearly indicates the purpose or target of the observation to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Monitoring for

Synonymous, emphasizes systematic tracking.

Watching for

Similar, but less formal than "monitoring".

Looking out for

More colloquial, implies vigilance.

Keeping an eye out for

Informal, suggests casual observation.

Checking for

Focuses on verification or confirmation.

Screening for

Used in medical or security contexts.

Tracking for

Emphasizes following progress or movement.

Inspecting for

Implies detailed examination.

Patrolling for

Suggests regular observation over an area.

Scouting for

Searching in order to collect some data.

FAQs

How can I use "observing for" in a sentence?

Use "observing for" to describe a purposeful act of watching to detect something specific. For instance, "The doctor is observing for signs of improvement in the patient's condition".

What are some alternatives to "observing for"?

You can use alternatives such as "monitoring for", "watching for", or "looking out for" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "observing to" instead of "observing for"?

No, "observing to" is not grammatically correct. The correct preposition to use with "observing" in this context is "for", indicating the purpose of the observation.

What's the difference between "observing" and "observing for"?

"Observing" generally refers to the act of watching, while "observing for" specifies that the watching is done with a particular goal or expectation. For example, you might "observe a phenomenon", but you are "observing for changes".