seem to duplicate

USAGE SUMMARY

"seem to duplicate" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that appears to be an exact copy of something else. For example, "Some of the data in the report seems to duplicate the data in the previous report."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Every time an NHS organisation says it can't afford a new drug or procedure, you can guarantee the cry will go up: "But you can afford £80m for a website?" Especially as some of the services - collecting patients' feedback, for example - seem to duplicate those of independent ventures such as Patient Opinion (patientopinion.org.uk) and the newly launched Iwantgreatcare (iwantgreatcare.org).org

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Its two centres, the St .Louis and Cincinnati schools, seemed to duplicate the German schism between a conservative and a revolutionary tendency.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But the interviews and letters to a reporter seemed to duplicate much of what the two men had been saying to each other.

The New York Times

What is happening seems to duplicate Israel's standard way of starting a war: by conducting strikes in neighboring countries in the hopes of triggering a response that Israel can then use to claim it is just defending itself.

The New York Times

In Arabidopsis, AtCBSX4 at chromosome I seem to be duplicated segmentally, and a domain duplication event might have occurred, which have resulted in the appearance of AtCBSCBS4 gene on the same chromosome.

BMC Genomics

What we found in our sample of the cassava transcriptome is that many important enzymes in the main pathways of H2O2 scavenging seem to be duplicated; we propose that these duplications may account, at least in part, for the stress tolerance characteristics of cassava, and that this could be due to a tighter control of some of the ROS signaling mechanisms already described for other plants.

BMC Plant Biology

The variable exons 2a3 and 2a4 seem to be duplicated most recently.

Plosone

Taken together, due to their high structural homologies these loci seem to be duplicated quite recently.

BMC Genomics

Otherwise, the other NLRP genes seem to have duplicated before the divergence of mammals.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

However, other zebrafish Ugt1 a and b variable exons seem to be duplicated in tandem because neighboring ones are more similar to each other.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Only the closely related SoWLIM1a and b genes from sugarcane seem to be duplicated, as the two maize WLIM1 transcripts described are probably alleles of the same gene.

DNA Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "seem to duplicate", ensure clarity regarding what is doing the duplicating and what is being duplicated. Specify the aspects of similarity to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "seem to duplicate" can sometimes sound less formal than alternatives like "resemble closely" or "mirror". Consider the tone of your writing and choose the most appropriate phrasing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seem to duplicate" functions as a verb phrase used to express an apparent similarity or replication between two or more things. As Ludwig AI points out, it suggests that one thing gives the impression of being a copy of another.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "seem to duplicate" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express an apparent similarity or replication. It is most frequently found in scientific and news media contexts and holds a neutral register. While generally correct, as Ludwig AI confirms, careful consideration should be given to the specific nuances of similar phrases for enhanced precision. Ensure clarity in writing by specifying the aspects being duplicated. Be mindful of the overall formality in your writing, and select the best alternative to make sure you are hitting your tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

closely resemble

Emphasizes the close or near perfect similarity.

duplicate nearly

Indicates that the second instance almost exactly mirrors the first one.

appear to replicate

Focuses on the visual similarity and process of creating a copy, emphasizing appearance.

appear to mirror

Highlights a reflection-like similarity, where elements are reversed or closely matched.

appear to emulate

Emphasizes the attempt to match or surpass the original's quality or performance.

appear to imitate

Focuses on direct copying without necessarily achieving the same level of quality.

look like a copy of

A straightforward description of visual resemblance and origin as a copy.

seem to reproduce

Implies that something is being copied or recreated, possibly with slight variations.

resemble closely

Emphasizes the high degree of similarity and visual likeness between the two entities.

bear a striking resemblance

Highlights a noticeable and significant similarity in appearance or characteristics.

FAQs

How can I use "seem to duplicate" in a sentence?

You can use "seem to duplicate" to indicate that something appears to be a copy of something else. For example, "The new policy seems to duplicate the previous one".

What's a more formal alternative to "seem to duplicate"?

More formal alternatives include "closely resemble" or "mirror", depending on the intended nuance.

Is it better to say "seem to duplicate" or "seems to duplicate"?

The correct form depends on the subject. Use "seem" with plural subjects (e.g., "They seem to duplicate") and "seems" with singular subjects (e.g., "It seems to duplicate").

What's the difference between "seem to duplicate" and "resemble"?

"Seem to duplicate" implies an apparent copying, while "resemble" simply indicates a similarity in appearance or characteristics, without necessarily implying copying.