possibly brought about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "possibly brought about" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing potential causes or factors that may have led to a particular outcome or situation. Example: "The changes in policy may have possibly brought about improvements in employee satisfaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Note that if, because (a) is not possibly brought about by someone, an omnipotent agent is not required to be able to bring about (a), then for the same reason, that agent is also not required to be able to bring about impossible or necessary states of affairs.

SEP

Like increased anthocyanin, increases in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial enzyme NAD-ME are often occur in response to plant stress [ 5, 66, 67], in this case possibly brought about by growth/developmental challenges in the silenced Arabidopsis.

BMC Plant Biology

Next, while (b) and (c) are possibly brought about by some agent, they are not repeatable: it is not possible for either one of them to obtain, subsequently fail to obtain, and then obtain again.

SEP

The deterioration was possibly brought about by a change of surface condition of the p-GaP electrode with working time.

Electrochimica Acta

But (a) is not possibly brought about by any agent.

SEP

This state of affairs has three conjuncts, the second of which is not possibly brought about by anyone.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

But if we want them to exist we must ensure that they cannot take on risks that could even possibly bring about failure.

Forbes

Therefore, neutrophils activated by GM-CSF possibly bring about strong activation of MMP-9 by producing NGAL, a pathway that would lead to invasion of immune cells and degradation of cartilage.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

It possibly brings about void leading to high methanol crossover.

Surface and Coatings Technology

The question is whether improving efficiency, rather than reducing total consumption, can possibly bring about the desired result.

The New Yorker

That disincentive, however, could not possibly bring about serious harm of the sort that the Court, the Solicitor General, [537 U.S. 259] or the law review author fears.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "possibly brought about", ensure that the context clearly indicates the potential cause-and-effect relationship and that the possibility is plausible based on available evidence.

Common error

Avoid using "possibly brought about" when there's strong evidence of a direct cause. In such cases, opt for more definitive language like "was caused by" or "resulted from."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "possibly brought about" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating a potential cause or reason for a particular outcome. Ludwig AI confirms this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "possibly brought about" is a useful construction for indicating a potential cause or reason, as shown by Ludwig. It functions as an adverbial modifier and is suitable for various writing styles, especially in science, news, and academic contexts. While grammatically correct, it's crucial to ensure the context warrants the uncertainty it conveys and to avoid overstating certainty when evidence suggests a more direct cause. For more precise or formal language, alternatives like "potentially caused" or "likely induced" can be used. Ludwig AI's analysis affirms the phrase's proper usage and provides context for its applications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

potentially caused

This alternative replaces "brought about" with "caused" and "possibly" with "potentially", emphasizing the element of causation.

conceivably triggered

This alternative replaces "brought about" with "triggered" and "possibly" with "conceivably", suggesting a more direct initiation of an event.

likely induced

This alternative uses "induced" instead of "brought about" and "likely" instead of "possibly", which indicates a higher probability of causation.

perhaps generated

This alternative replaces "brought about" with "generated" and "possibly" with "perhaps", implying that something was created or produced.

maybe resulted from

This alternative shifts the focus to the outcome, using "resulted from" instead of "brought about" and "maybe" instead of "possibly", while keeping the uncertainty.

might have spurred

This alternative uses "spurred" to convey a sense of instigation and "might have" to indicate uncertainty.

could have prompted

This alternative uses "prompted" to suggest a more immediate instigation and "could have" to express possibility.

may have contributed to

This alternative highlights the contribution to an outcome, using "contributed to" instead of directly causing it.

possibly led to

This alternative replaces "brought about" with "led to", indicating a sequence of events.

conceivably given rise to

This alternative replaces "brought about" with "given rise to", suggesting the beginning or creation of something new.

FAQs

How can I use "possibly brought about" in a sentence?

You can use "possibly brought about" to suggest a potential cause, as in: "The decline in sales was "possibly brought about" by the new competition".

What are some alternatives to "possibly brought about"?

Alternatives include "potentially caused", "likely induced", or "may have contributed to", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "possibly brought about" formal or informal?

"Possibly brought about" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, you might consider more precise alternatives like "potentially resulted from".

What is the difference between "possibly brought about" and "certainly brought about"?

"Possibly brought about" indicates uncertainty about the cause, while "certainly brought about" implies a definite and confirmed cause. Using "possibly" adds a degree of speculation.