purported to be

USAGE SUMMARY

"purported to be" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is typically used to suggest that something may not be true or may be falsely claimed. It can also be used to express doubt or skepticism. Example sentence 1: The painting was purported to be an original Van Gogh, but further analysis revealed it to be a forgery. Example sentence 2: The company's CEO, who was purported to be a successful businessman, was later found to have a history of bankruptcies. Example sentence 3: The controversial video, purported to be evidence of government corruption, turned out to be a hoax.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It wasn't purported to be.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Simulation has been purported to be an effective tool in assisting with this.

Journal of Surgical Education

I was not very good at that job and I had never purported to be.

The Guardian - Tech

– something that at least purported to be unspeakably ancient, predating human history by millennia.

The Guardian - Arts

We believed that a statement, a confession, an incident, was seldom what it purported to be".

The New Yorker

She said: "It was a very extreme situation which I don't think purported to be docudrama".

The Guardian

"Is their business as profitable as it had purported to be?" Mr. Wicklund said.

The New York Times

Hong Kong police are now investigating bank deposits purported to be linked to Najib.

The Guardian

As with all lives, not all was as it purported to be.

The Guardian - Books

Hardly the stuff of someone purported to be the best player in the world.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Or something that purports to be them.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "purported to be" when you want to express doubt or skepticism about a claim, without directly denying it. This allows you to present information neutrally while signaling potential inaccuracies.

Common error

Avoid using "purported to be" excessively without providing context or evidence to support your skepticism. Overuse can weaken your writing and make it seem biased. Provide counter-evidence, alternative perspectives, or simply state that the claim lacks sufficient support.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "purported to be" functions as a qualifier, indicating that something is claimed or appears to be a certain way, often with an underlying implication of doubt or uncertainty. As Ludwig AI confirms, it suggests a claim that may not be entirely true. It can be considered a verbal phrase acting as an adjective.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "purported to be" is a versatile qualifier that introduces an element of doubt or skepticism. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's generally grammatically correct, often used in professional and formal contexts like News & Media and Science, and serves to communicate that a claim is presented as true but might not be entirely accurate. While frequently employed, it's essential to provide context or evidence to support any implied skepticism. Related phrases offer alternative ways to convey similar meanings, each with slightly different nuances, and the most common errors involve overuse without sufficient justification.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alleged to be

Replaces "purported" with "alleged", emphasizing a claim that is yet to be proven.

professed to be

Substitutes "purported" with "professed", indicating an open declaration or claim.

believed to be

Expresses a belief about something, often without concrete evidence.

said to be

Simple substitution focused on the act of saying.

represented as being

Rephrases the entire structure, focusing on how something is presented or portrayed.

reputed to be

Implies that something is known or believed by many people, adding a sense of reputation.

understood to be

Indicates a common belief or understanding, rather than a direct claim.

thought to be

It is about someone's opinion rather than a proven fact.

ostensibly

Uses an adverb to convey that something appears to be the case, but may not be.

seemingly

Indicates that something appears a certain way, but doesn't guarantee its truth.

FAQs

How do you use "purported to be" in a sentence?

"Purported to be" is used to express that something is claimed to be true, often with an implication that it may not be. For example, "The document was "purported to be" a secret treaty, but its authenticity is questionable."

What can I say instead of "purported to be"?

You can use alternatives like "alleged to be", "professed to be", or "represented as being" depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "purported to be" in formal writing?

Yes, "purported to be" is suitable for formal writing. It is commonly used in news articles, academic papers, and other formal contexts to indicate that a claim may not be entirely accurate or verified.

What is the nuance of using "purported to be"?

Using "purported to be" suggests a degree of skepticism or doubt regarding the veracity of a claim. It implies that the claim is presented as true, but there may be reasons to believe otherwise.