preliminary indication

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "preliminary indication" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to an initial sign or suggestion about a situation or outcome that is not yet confirmed. Example: "The preliminary indication from the survey suggests that customer satisfaction has improved this quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The preliminary indication had been 92.7.

The New York Times

The preliminary indication is that it is not there.

The New York Times

But, he added, "the preliminary indication is that is not the case".

The New York Times

Last May, when Judge Rakoff froze the Uzans' New York assets, including eight apartments, he said that "every preliminary indication" pointed to "repeated acts of fraud and chicanery" adding up to "a rather massive swindle".

The New York Times

The sense and force of these questions, and the main features of the kind of answer given by natural law theories, can be given a preliminary indication.

SEP

Big Blue delivered again last week, and the preliminary indication on Wednesday was that EDS too had come through for investors.

Forbes

Although a full treatment of these issues is beyond the scope of this essay, a preliminary indication of how they might be addressed can be provided.

SEP

Then the crankshaft was subjected to a simple vibration analysis and a preliminary indication of possible existence of a crack was concluded.

Engineering Failure Analysis

The experiments give preliminary indication that the breakaway oxidation does not play role in design basis accident LOCA conditions with the E110 alloy.

Progress in Nuclear Energy

The case study is not intended to reproduce a particular pollution episode but to provide a preliminary indication of the potential reduction in PM10 for representative meteorological and traffic conditions.

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

To familiarise the participants with the descriptions and to provide a preliminary indication of the ranking of the health states, the participants ranked them using a 100-point VAS scale running from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "preliminary indication" when you want to convey that the information is not yet fully confirmed or conclusive, suggesting further investigation is needed. It's useful in contexts where providing an early glimpse is important, even if the picture is incomplete.

Common error

Avoid presenting a "preliminary indication" as a definitive conclusion. Always qualify it with language that acknowledges its tentative nature, preventing misinterpretation or premature action based on incomplete information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "preliminary indication" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It introduces an idea or finding that is not yet fully confirmed. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

61%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "preliminary indication" is a commonly used phrase that serves to introduce initial, but not definitive, findings. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Its usage is particularly prevalent in scientific and news-related contexts, with a formal to neutral register. When using this phrase, it's crucial to avoid overstating the certainty of the information and to acknowledge its tentative nature. Alternatives like "initial sign" or "tentative evidence" can be used depending on the context. Remember that presenting a "preliminary indication" as a final conclusion can lead to misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

initial indication

Synonymous, but replaces "preliminary" with "initial".

early indication

Synonymous, but replaces "preliminary" with "early".

preliminary sign

Synonymous, but swaps the order of the words.

initial sign

Focuses on the sign aspect, implying a first observable occurrence.

early sign

Highlights the temporal aspect, emphasizing that the sign is appearing early in a process.

tentative evidence

Shifts the focus to the evidence being presented, portraying it as not yet conclusive.

suggestive evidence

Implies that the evidence hints at something without proving it.

initial findings

Focuses on results, specifically the first ones obtained.

early findings

Highlights the results are appearing early in a process.

initial assessment

Emphasizes the evaluation or judgment being made at the beginning.

FAQs

How can I use "preliminary indication" in a sentence?

You can use "preliminary indication" to introduce an early or tentative finding. For example, "The "preliminary indication" suggests that the treatment is effective, but further studies are needed."

What is a synonym for "preliminary indication"?

Synonyms for "preliminary indication" include "initial sign", "early sign", or "tentative evidence". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "preliminary indication" a formal or informal phrase?

"Preliminary indication" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts, making it versatile for various types of writing.

How does "preliminary indication" differ from "definitive conclusion"?

"Preliminary indication" suggests an early, not fully confirmed finding, while "definitive conclusion" implies a firm, well-supported result. Avoid using "preliminary indication" when your findings are conclusive.