seek to better

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "seek to better" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing the intention or desire to improve a situation, oneself, or something else. Example: "We must always seek to better our understanding of the community's needs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Labour would seek to better this.

The Guardian

The judge said Mr. Padilla might "then seek to better his lot by cooperating with his captors".

The New York Times

We re-evaluate performance targets for the staff bonus scheme every year as we seek to better align employee performance with reward.

The Guardian

Increasingly, however, customers want their technology suppliers to offer them sophisticated services, not just equipment, as they seek to better manage an Internet that connects not just computers, but also things like sensors and mobile devices.

The New York Times

The project, announced on the eve of the one-month anniversary of the outbreak of trouble in Tottenham, north London, will seek to better understand why riots then spread to other parts of the capital and cities across England.

The Guardian

They can shift to the sort of personalised care that allows social contact to be commissioned as an outcome, and they can seek to better understand the networks of informal care and support that already exist in every community and "piggyback" public services on these.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

Our grant-making seeks to better understand these costs.

The New York Times

It seeks to better harmonize fiscal policies across the euro zone.

The New York Times

(In recent weeks the consortium has put out advertising seeking to better explain the project).

The New York Times

The physicist has also worked with other inventors seeking to better elucidate his thoughts.

The New York Times - Science

Dr. Hawking has also worked with other inventors seeking to better elucidate his thoughts.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "seek to better" to express a proactive and intentional effort towards improvement or understanding. For instance, use it when describing research objectives or strategic goals to convey a sense of purpose and direction.

Common error

While "seek to better" is grammatically sound, it can sound overly formal or pretentious in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "try to improve" or "want to enhance" in informal settings to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seek to better" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It typically follows a subject and verb, indicating the intention or goal behind an action, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "seek to better" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that conveys the intention to improve, enhance, or understand something more thoroughly. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and widespread use. While versatile, it's most prevalent in scientific and news contexts, maintaining a neutral to formal tone. When writing, remember to leverage this phrase to articulate goal-oriented actions and strategic objectives effectively, but consider more casual alternatives like "try to improve" in informal settings. Remember that this phrase's past tense is "sought to better".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strive to improve

Emphasizes continuous effort towards improvement, differing slightly in its focus on ongoing action.

aim to enhance

Highlights the intention to increase the quality or value of something, differing in its direct focus on enhancement.

endeavor to ameliorate

Implies an attempt to make something better, particularly a situation or condition, sounding more formal.

work to refine

Focuses on the process of making something more precise or polished, differing in its specific focus on refinement.

try to optimize

Emphasizes making something as effective or functional as possible, differing in its focus on efficiency.

pursue excellence

Highlights the active chasing of a specific quality standard rather than a generic objective, sounding slightly more motivational.

aspire to elevate

Focuses on raising something to a higher level, differing in its directional focus.

target improvement

Stresses setting improvement as a specific goal or objective, differing in its goal-oriented nature.

plan to upgrade

Emphasizes planning for betterment, specifically by upgrading some quality attribute, and sounding more technical

design to advance

Implies that there is some designing phase for the advancement, sounding more technical.

FAQs

How can I use "seek to better" in a sentence?

The phrase "seek to better" is used to express an intention or effort to improve something. For example, "Researchers "seek to better" understand the causes of the disease", or "The company aims to "seek to better" its environmental impact".

What are some alternatives to "seek to better"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "strive to improve", "aim to enhance", or "work to refine". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "sought to better"?

Yes, "sought to better" is the past tense form of "seek to better". For example, "The organization "sought to better" the lives of underprivileged children".

What's the difference between "seek to better" and "try to improve"?

While both phrases express a desire for improvement, ""seek to better"" often implies a more deliberate and strategic approach, whereas "try to improve" can suggest a more general or experimental effort.