of course meaning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "of course meaning" is not standard and may cause confusion in written English. It could be used in informal contexts where the speaker is clarifying or emphasizing a point. For example: "When I said I would help, I meant it, of course meaning I will be there on time." Alternative expressions include "naturally" and "obviously."

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Slinky, of course, meaning sort of stealthily quiet.

The New York Times

This costs extra, of course, meaning your monthly payment is lower.

The New York Times

Intel is pursuing both tablets that run Windows and Android, of course, meaning that the long WinTel alliance is now as post-pc as the rest of the computing market.

TechCrunch

My bike's name is Cerise -- French, of course, meaning cherry red.

Huffington Post

"They would have let this family stay"—with they of course meaning Barack Hussein Obama and stay meaning institute sharia.

Vice

Our weather forecasts are much more sophisticated today, of course, meaning another storm of this magnitude wouldn't catch people off guard.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

My mother said once that he attracted terrible friendships — using "terrible" in the old sense, of course, and meaning only respect.

The New Yorker

My first thought: "well, yes, of course…" Meaning that the idea -- in following recent art world events that focused on the Tumblr platform or the Vine app -- was timely in drawing attention to one of the "visual languages" that's being used across so many digital platforms.

Huffington Post

This cereal garden is, of course, serial, meaning he needs to hunt down five more packages of the long discontinued hardtack, each depicting a different part of the garden, to deepen the scene.

Los Angeles Times

He found that there were low levels of stability across successive courses, meaning that the same tutor may behave in different ways even when teaching the same course.

Advances in Health Sciences Education

Ammons's "dice are not loaded" with meanings — which is, of course, their meaning.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the phrase follows a clear antecedent; the reader should immediately understand what is being defined or clarified.

Common error

Avoid starting a new sentence with "of course meaning" unless it is part of a deliberate stylistic fragment. In standard prose, this phrase acts as a modifier and needs to be physically connected to the clause it explains to avoid leaving the reader searching for the subject.

Linguistic Context

In terms of grammatical function, "of course meaning" operates as an adverbial participial phrase. Ludwig AI observations show it typically serves as a non-restrictive appositive or a clarifying adjunct. It allows a writer to insert an 'obvious' definition or implication without breaking the rhythmic flow of the primary sentence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "of course meaning" is not a rigid grammatical fixture, it is a highly effective stylistic tool found in the world's most prestigious publications. Ludwig AI data indicates that it is most frequently used to bridge the gap between a literal statement and its underlying implication. Writers should use it to provide parenthetical clarity, though for strictly formal documentation, substituting it with a relative clause like "which naturally signifies" may provide more structural stability. Overall, it remains a robust choice for sophisticated commentary and journalistic narrative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

meaning of course

A simple inversion that places more emphasis on the act of definition

which naturally means

Uses a relative clause for smoother integration into the sentence flow

which is to say

A classic, slightly more formal rhetorical device for rephrasing or clarifying

essentially meaning

Focuses on the core essence of the clarification

effectively meaning

Shifts the focus to the practical outcome or consequence of the previous statement

obviously implying that

Strengthens the logical connection by suggesting the conclusion is self-evident

signifying that

A more formal verb choice that works well in academic or scientific writing

naturally suggesting that

A softer alternative that focuses on inference rather than direct definition

by which I mean

A more personal and direct way to clarify the speaker intent

which clearly indicates

Moves from definition to evidence-based indication

FAQs

How to use "of course meaning" in a sentence?

It is typically used as a parenthetical insertion after a comma to clarify a term, such as: "The system is redundant, "of course meaning" that a backup always exists."

What can I say instead of "of course meaning"?

You can use more standard alternatives like "which naturally means", "naturally", or "effectively" depending on the context.

Is "of course meaning" grammatically correct?

While Ludwig AI notes it is not a standard fixed idiom, it functions correctly as an adverbial participial phrase in descriptive writing, though some editors may prefer a full relative clause like "which means".

What is the difference between "of course meaning" and "obviously"?

While both indicate something is self-evident, "of course meaning" is specifically used to define or interpret a preceding statement, whereas "obviously" is a general adverbial modifier.