ought to be distributed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ought to be distributed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the necessity or recommendation for something to be shared or allocated among a group or individuals. Example: "The resources ought to be distributed evenly to ensure fairness among all participants."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The idea that food, left over in restaurants, ought to be distributed to the poor was one that grew out of his office.

The New York Times

Rather, he offered an engineer's systemic analysis of how information ought to be distributed, without regard for cultural or political context — a species of reasoning that, decades later, has become ingrained in Silicon Valley.

The New Yorker

The revenues from the tax, he believes, ought to be distributed back to Americans on a per-capita basis, so that households that use less energy would actually make money, even as those that use more would find it increasingly expensive to do so.

The New Yorker

There are two main reasons for this: first, it is unclear which primary goods ought to be distributed to the least advantaged after the point at which everyone has been brought above a decent genetic minimum; second, Fox tries to bring together the Rawlsian and the Senian perspectives without acknowledging that each of these perspectives has a its own unique currency of justice.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

HGi will be that end, since it sets morality as the condition for happiness, and thus brings together these two ends into one, synthethizing them under a rule set by morality, namely that happiness ought to be distributed in accordance with moral worth.

SEP

Obsession occurs when all the psychic energy, which ought to be distributed among the various parts of the personality in an attempt to harmonize them, is focused on one area of the personality to the exclusion of everything else.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Here's how he covers the "information wants to be free" line of reasoning, which he calls "the Slashdot argument": "It says that books, music, films, software and so on ought to be freely distributed to anyone who wants them, simply because they can be freely distributed.

The New York Times

These films ought to be widely distributed in Lancashire, for Lancashire troops are shown again and again on the eve of their great deeds.

The Guardian

Unlike liberal feminists, who view power as a positive social resource that ought to be fairly distributed, and feminist phenomenologists, who understand domination in terms of a tension between transcendence and immanence, radical feminists tend to understand power in terms of dyadic relations of dominance/subordination, often understood on analogy with the relationship between master and slave.

SEP

Their results suggested that breaks ought to be approximately evenly distributed throughout most of the DNA strand, except near the termini where breaks were predicted to be extremely rare [ 4].

BMC Genomics

Rather, they ought to be viewed as governing how economic benefits and burdens are rightfully distributed in the first place.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ought to be distributed", ensure that the context clearly defines who or what is responsible for the distribution and the criteria for how it should be done. For example, specify "resources ought to be distributed based on need".

Common error

Avoid using "ought to be distributed" without specifying the subject of distribution. Instead of saying "benefits ought to be distributed", clarify with "the benefits of the project ought to be distributed among all stakeholders".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ought to be distributed" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing advisability, obligation, or recommendation regarding the action of distributing something. Ludwig AI indicates that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ought to be distributed" is a grammatically correct modal verb phrase used to express a recommendation or expectation that something should be allocated or shared, as validated by Ludwig AI. Primarily found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, the phrase carries a neutral to formal tone. While it suggests a sense of obligation or advisability, it's important to clearly define what is to be distributed and the criteria for distribution to avoid vagueness. Alternatives include "should be allocated" and "needs to be disseminated", offering similar meanings with slight variations in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

should be allocated

Replaces "ought to" with the more common modal verb "should", suggesting a recommendation or expectation.

should be shared

Focuses on the act of sharing, replacing "distributed" with a simpler term, still conveying a sense of recommendation.

must be allocated

Replaces "ought to" with "must", indicating a stronger sense of necessity or obligation.

needs to be disseminated

Emphasizes the spreading of information or resources, replacing "distributed" with a more formal term.

should be apportioned

Replaces "distributed" with "apportioned", suggesting a careful and proportional allocation.

needs to be spread

Uses a simpler verb, "spread", to replace "distributed", making the phrase more accessible.

must be divided

Focuses on the act of dividing, replacing "distributed" with a simpler term while maintaining a sense of necessity.

is required to be distributed

Adds formality and emphasis by using "is required", changing the modal verb "ought to".

has to be distributed

Replaces "ought to" with the more colloquial "has to", maintaining the sense of obligation.

is to be distributed

Uses a more formal and somewhat archaic structure to convey a sense of planned distribution.

FAQs

What does "ought to be distributed" mean?

The phrase "ought to be distributed" indicates that something should be shared or allocated, based on a moral or logical imperative. It suggests a recommended or expected action regarding the dissemination of resources, information, or responsibilities.

How can I use "ought to be distributed" in a sentence?

You can use "ought to be distributed" to express a recommendation or expectation about the allocation of something. For example: "The funds "ought to be distributed" fairly among the applicants".

What can I say instead of "ought to be distributed"?

You can use alternatives like "should be allocated", "should be shared", or "needs to be disseminated" depending on the context.

Is "ought to be distributed" formal or informal?

"Ought to be distributed" is generally considered a more formal expression. In informal contexts, phrases like "should be shared" or "needs to be spread" might be more appropriate.