retrieve some sense of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "retrieve some sense of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of regaining understanding or clarity about a situation or concept. Example: "After reviewing the data, I was able to retrieve some sense of the project's overall progress."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The closer danger creeps, the more he faces backwards into the past to retrieve some sense of inner tranquillity.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It is a bit contradictory, like a Polish guy making trips to some other country to retrieve a sense of belonging, with strangers he now knows well and recalls fondly.

The New York Times

The Fire Department helped the residents retrieve some of their property, but of course the remaining structure had to be demolished.

The New York Times

Respectable people, in other words, keen to retrieve a sense of order in what they perceive to be a time of disordered, disrupted, values.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I think the revolutions in a way, in a distant way, are hoping to retrieve" this sense of national identity, said Sadiq al-Azm, a prominent Syrian intellectual living in Beirut.

The New York Times

By Russell Platt Haydn's "The Seasons," like a late volume of Proust, is much admired but rarely experienced these days, and René Jacobs's new recording (on Harmonia Mundi) manages to retrieve the sense of excitement that Haydn's early audiences must have felt.

The New Yorker

Haydn's "The Seasons," like a late volume of Proust, is much admired but rarely experienced these days, and René Jacobs's new recording (on Harmonia Mundi) manages to retrieve the sense of excitement that Haydn's early audiences must have felt.

The New Yorker

In complement to basic services related to young children's hygiene and sanitation, health and nutrition, protection and education, the Kit offers young children access to play, stimulation and early learning opportunities and permits them to retrieve a sense of normalcy.

Unicef

In complement to basic services related to young children's hygiene and sanitation, health and nutrition, protection and education, the Kit offers young children access to play, stimluation and early learning opportunities and permits them to retrieve a sense of normalcy.

Unicef

First, however, she needs to retrieve some of this evidence from her apartment.

Wikipedia

Do you have some sense of that?

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you're writing about the act of restoring understanding, consider the slightly more formal 're-establish some awareness of' for your writing needs.

Common error

Avoid using "retrieve some sense of" when a simpler term like "understand" or "comprehend" suffices. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex. For instance, if the context doesn't involve regaining something lost, a direct term might be better.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function is as part of a verbal phrase, often used with auxiliary verbs to describe an action. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "retrieve some sense of" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, as affirmed by Ludwig AI, typically employed to describe the act of regaining understanding or clarity about something. It finds common usage in news and media, formal business settings, and scientific discourse. When writing, remember that there are great alternatives such as "regain some understanding of", "recover a feeling of", or "recapture a sense of". Always consider the context, as simpler terms like "understand" may suffice if no sense of retrieval is implied.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

regain some understanding of

Focuses more on the understanding aspect rather than the act of retrieval.

recover a feeling of

Emphasizes the emotional aspect of regaining a feeling or sensation.

recapture a sense of

Suggests a more active and deliberate attempt to regain something that was lost.

re-establish some awareness of

Highlights the regaining of awareness or knowledge.

get a grip on

A more informal way of saying understand something difficult.

piece together an idea of

Suggests a more fragmented and complex process of understanding.

get some inkling of

Implies a vague or initial understanding.

decipher the meaning of

Focuses on unraveling a hidden or unclear meaning.

glean some knowledge of

Indicates gathering information gradually and with effort.

form a notion of

Implies creating a preliminary or tentative understanding.

FAQs

How can I use "retrieve some sense of" in a sentence?

You can use "retrieve some sense of" to describe the process of regaining understanding or clarity about a situation, feeling, or concept. For instance: "After reviewing the data, I tried to "retrieve some sense of" the project's overall progress."

What are some alternatives to "retrieve some sense of"?

Depending on the specific nuance you want to convey, you could use alternatives such as "regain some understanding of", "recover a feeling of", or "recapture a sense of".

When is it appropriate to use "retrieve some sense of" instead of simply "understand"?

"Retrieve some sense of" is particularly appropriate when you're describing the act of actively regaining an understanding that was previously lost, obscured, or confused. If the understanding is readily available, "understand" is sufficient.

Is "retrieve some sense of" formal or informal?

"Retrieve some sense of" is generally considered a neutral to slightly formal phrase. It's suitable for professional and academic contexts, but might sound somewhat elaborate in very casual conversation.