primarily looking for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "primarily looking for" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing the main focus or intention of a search or inquiry. Example: "In this project, we are primarily looking for innovative solutions to improve efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

But I'm primarily looking for people who have uncommon sense because that's where genius comes from.

The New York Times

Are they primarily looking for a playmaker or just more consistency?

The Washington Post

They're not primarily looking for work, but rather fleeing violence at home.

The Washington Post

In other words, this is not a book for cooks primarily looking for a quick and easy menu for dinner.

The New York Times - Food

Security concerns have motivated many Afghan house-hunters to buy in Dubai, but some are primarily looking for bargains.

The New York Times

Executive recruiters also succumb to the usual-suspects bias, primarily looking for new heads above other companies' necks.

Harvard Business Review

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

The algorithm primarily looks for phrases often used in clickbait headlines but not in legitimate headlines, similar to email spam filters.

TechCrunch

Lee: We primarily look for disrupting technologies or those that tend to grow in exponential phases, rather than those that take an existing pie and go to a zero-sum competition.

Forbes

In reality, however, critics of the judiciary primarily look for instances of judicial misconduct -- ethical lapses, alleged ethical lapses or questionable practices -- that are committed by higher court judges.

Huffington Post

We primarily looked for correlation between EZH2 rs3757441 genotypes and EZH2/H3K27me3 expression.

BMC Cancer

Among volunteers who responded to the advertisement, we primarily looked for women who fulfilled criteria for inclusion in one of the four groups.

BMC Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "primarily looking for", ensure it clearly indicates the main focus of your search or investigation. Use it to distinguish the primary objective from secondary considerations.

Common error

Avoid using "primarily looking for" when the context doesn't clearly establish other, secondary objectives. Overuse can dilute the emphasis and confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "primarily looking for" functions as a verb phrase acting as a modifier, specifying the main focus of a search or investigation. Ludwig AI suggests that the phrase is used to express the main intention behind an action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "primarily looking for" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to highlight the key objective of a search or investigation. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its validity and widespread applicability. Its presence across news, science, and business domains demonstrates its versatility. The phrase serves to guide attention and resources effectively. When using the phrase, remember to set clear context, differentiating your primary objective from secondary goals, and preventing the dilution of your emphasized meaning. Consider using alternatives like "mainly seeking" or "chiefly searching for" for variety. Finally, use this construction with clarity to keep your main focus front and center.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mainly seeking

Focuses on the act of seeking as the primary action.

primarily seeking

Highlights the action of seeking as the main focus.

chiefly searching for

Emphasizes the aspect of searching with a chief or main focus.

mainly searching for

Emphasizes the main aspect of searching.

primarily in pursuit of

Highlights the active pursuit as the main intention.

chiefly in search of

Emphasizes the searching with a chief intention.

primarily after

Implies pursuit, often of a specific object or goal.

mainly after

Suggests pursuit with a primary goal.

primarily concerned with finding

Focuses on finding as the primary concern.

mainly focused on locating

Stresses the focus on the act of locating something.

FAQs

How can I use "primarily looking for" in a sentence?

Use "primarily looking for" to emphasize the main focus of a search or investigation. For example, "We are "primarily looking for" candidates with strong leadership skills."

What are some alternatives to "primarily looking for"?

You can use alternatives like "mainly seeking", "chiefly searching for", or "primarily seeking" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "primarily looking to" instead of "primarily looking for"?

While "primarily looking to" can be grammatically correct, it often implies an intention or goal rather than a search. "Primarily looking for" is better when you're actively seeking something specific.

What's the difference between "primarily looking for" and "especially looking for"?

"Primarily looking for" indicates the main focus of a search, while "especially looking for" suggests a particular interest within a broader search. The former is about the main objective, the latter about a preference.