remain to be understood

USAGE SUMMARY

"remain to be understood" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You might use it to describe something that is not yet understood, such as the cause of an illness or other phenomenon. For example, "The longterm effects of the virus on humans remain to be understood."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

But there are many features of the virus's behavior that remain to be understood.

The New York Times - Health

However, the mechanisms of its pharmacological actions remain to be understood poorly.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

How these interactions are established and how they modulate the functional state of GPCRs remain to be understood.

Structure

While MVGs are thought to be effective in reducing the separation zone, details of how they affect the separation zone remain to be understood properly.

Progress in Aerospace Sciences

Once the relevant gene is mapped and sequenced, the mechanisms by which genetic and nongenetic factors interact to produce symptoms of the disease remain to be understood.

SEP

Although the design features that are responsible for this higher robustness still remain to be understood, our results stress the importance of a robust design of both native and synthetic signaling networks.

Journal of Biotechnology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

Nonetheless, much remained to be understood about the clinical presentation, genetic and environmental risk factors, and effective means of treatment and prevention for CTE.

Encyclopedia Britannica

However the events occurred under geomagnetic quiet conditions, and so they concluded that the origin of westward electric field remained to be understood.

Earth, Planets and Space

Nevertheless, there is still a lot remaining to be understood in the involvement of miRNAs in hepatocarcinogenesis and progression of HCC.

BMC Cancer

While it is well-known that ORC (along with ORCA) associates with heterochromatic regions in post-replicated cells in metazoans (Prasanth et al., 2004; Shen et al., 2010), its direct role in heterochromatin organization vs heterochromatin replication licensing has remained to be understood.

eLife

Thus, even the best understood Treg-relevant cytokine, TGF-β1, engages signals that remain to be fully understood.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "remain to be understood" in academic or scientific writing, ensure that you clearly identify what specific aspect requires further understanding. This enhances the clarity and focus of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "remain to be understood" as a generic statement without specifying the particular aspect or mechanism that lacks understanding. Provide context to highlight the specific knowledge gap.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "remain to be understood" functions as a verbal phrase, indicating that something is currently lacking complete knowledge or explanation. As Ludwig AI states, this phrase is correct and usable in written English, often in formal contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

9%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "remain to be understood" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, particularly in scientific and academic writing, to denote a lack of complete knowledge or explanation regarding a specific subject. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase serves to highlight the need for further investigation and research. While alternative phrases like "still needs clarification" or "further research is needed" can be used, "remain to be understood" emphasizes an ongoing quest for clarity. Remember to provide specific context, delineating the exact aspects that necessitate further comprehension to avoid vagueness. The primary contexts where this phrase is employed are science and news, underlining its prevalence in formal discussions and scholarly explorations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not fully elucidated

Indicates that something has not been completely explained or clarified.

the details are yet unknown

Focuses on the absence of specific information or facts.

the mechanism is not yet clear

Specifically points out that the process or system behind something is not fully known.

still needs clarification

Emphasizes the need for further explanation or making something clearer.

more investigation is required

Stresses the need for a more thorough or in-depth examination.

precise nature is uncertain

Focuses on the ambiguity or lack of definiteness regarding the exact characteristics of something.

further research is needed

Highlights the necessity of additional studies or explorations to gain more insight.

unexplained aspects prevail

Stresses that there are facets or elements that lack a clear or satisfactory explanation.

open questions persist

Emphasizes that there are unresolved issues or inquiries that continue to exist.

unresolved issues exist

Highlights the presence of matters or problems that have not been settled or clarified.

FAQs

How can I use "remain to be understood" in a sentence?

You can use "remain to be understood" to indicate that something is not yet fully clear or requires further investigation. For instance, "The long-term effects of this new treatment "remain to be understood"".

What are some alternatives to "remain to be understood"?

Alternatives include phrases like "still needs clarification", "further research is needed", or "the details are yet unknown", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "remains to be understood" instead of "remain to be understood"?

Yes, both are grammatically correct, but "remains to be understood" is typically used with singular subjects (e.g., "The reason remains to be understood"), while "remain to be understood" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "The mechanisms "remain to be understood"").

What is the difference between "remain to be understood" and "remain unknown"?

"Remain to be understood" implies that there is active effort or a need for future investigation to clarify something. "Remain unknown" simply indicates that something is not currently known, without necessarily implying ongoing or future efforts to understand it.