overarching idea of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overarching idea of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a central or dominant concept that encompasses various elements or themes within a larger context. Example: "The overarching idea of the novel is the struggle for identity in a rapidly changing society."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The overarching idea of the concert turned out to be: Beethoven is a god, Schubert is a demigod, and Schumann is their prophet.

The New Yorker

"The overarching idea of this whole conference is to bring about more understanding of war, and also of our veterans," said Ms. Becker, a co-director of the conference.

The New York Times

E-mail address GO SIGN UP Share Tweet The overarching idea of the concert turned out to be: Beethoven is a god, Schubert is a demigod, and Schumann is their prophet.

The New Yorker

Whether particular ideas originate with Mr. Marsalis or not, if you're familiar with the outline of his thought, you will start to notice something about "Jazz": beyond Mr. Burns's original visual style and pacing, and his overarching idea of meeting-between-races, the film is basically Mr. Marsalis's.

The New York Times - Arts

Singapore has become the first choice when crypto companies from both the West and the East are initially scoping out their market strategies in Asia, and companies want an overarching idea of what's going on in the cryptocurrency world in the region.

TechCrunch

Several theories of tumor suppression have been proposed for Fhit with the overarching idea of Fhit acting as a genome "caretaker" [ 6, 7].

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Start your speech by giving your main, overarching idea, and the 3 (or so) main points you have to support and elaborate on it.

WikiHow

And he is as drawn to great, overarching ideas as he is to historical factoids.

The New York Times - Books

According to this perspective, mathematical content is organized into overarching ideas according to phenomenological origin.

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

To help mitigate this problem, emphasis in analysis was placed on overarching ideas rather than specific word choices or phrasing.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

When I ask Anne Longfield what her priorities are – 10 months after taking office as children's commissioner for England – there's a significant degree of outlining, breaking down, realising limitations, until we reach an "overarching idea".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overarching idea of" when you want to emphasize the comprehensive and all-encompassing nature of a concept or theme.

Common error

Avoid using "overarching idea" when a simpler term like "main idea" or "central theme" is more appropriate. Overuse can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overarching idea of" functions as a noun phrase that identifies the primary and comprehensive concept or theme that underlies a particular subject. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and its presence in examples underscores its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "overarching idea of" is a grammatically sound and usable expression used to identify a primary concept or theme. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, although its frequency is relatively rare. It is most commonly found in news, media, and scientific contexts and serves to introduce a central concept comprehensively. When using the phrase, ensure that a simpler alternative is not more appropriate and consider the generally neutral to formal register. Alternatives include "central concept of" or "main theme of" for similar but slightly altered meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

central concept of

Focuses on the core concept rather than the broader scope.

main theme of

Highlights the thematic element rather than the conceptual framework.

primary notion of

Emphasizes the fundamental idea rather than its overarching nature.

key principle of

Stresses the guiding principle rather than the overall concept.

dominant ideology of

Focuses on the ideological aspect rather than the general concept.

chief aim of

Highlights the primary objective or goal.

overriding objective of

Stresses the priority and importance of the objective.

fundamental premise of

Emphasizes the foundational assumption or starting point.

unifying principle of

Highlights how the principle brings different elements together.

basic concept underlying

Focuses on the foundational concept on which something is built.

FAQs

What does "overarching idea of" mean?

The phrase "overarching idea of" refers to the main, comprehensive, or all-encompassing concept or theme that underlies something, such as a project, theory, or discussion.

What can I say instead of "overarching idea of"?

You can use alternatives like "central concept of", "main theme of", or "primary notion of" depending on the context.

How do I use "overarching idea of" in a sentence?

You can use "overarching idea of" to introduce the main concept of something. For example: "The overarching idea of the conference was to promote sustainable development."

Is "overarching idea of" formal or informal?

The phrase "overarching idea of" is generally considered suitable for formal and neutral contexts. Simpler alternatives like "main idea" may be preferable in informal settings.