sensing

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "sensing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a physical or mental experience, or a feeling of something happening before it actually does (such as a sixth sense). An example sentence could be: "She had a strong feeling of sensing danger when she entered the dark alleyway."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Sensing further instability, the vast majority of Greeks – led by the business sector – have urged the government to compromise, according to polls.

The Guardian

But privacy groups, sensing the prospect of losing one of their most reviled post-9/11 laws, were not in a mood to compromise on Friday.

The Guardian

Sensing her expulsion was on its way, she quit the BPP, leaving behind her close friend Zayd Malik Shakur.

The Guardian - Books

Already sensing his "transgender difference" but not knowing how to make sense of it, Hegarty was drawn to British acts such as Kate Bush, Marc Almond, the Cocteau Twins, Yazoo and Culture Club, as well as practising singing to Nina Simone.

The Guardian - Music

Many privacy groups, sensing their first chance at ending their most hated portions of the Patriot Act, have abandoned support for the USA Freedom Act they once championed.

The Guardian

Pietersen, sensing his chance, shot through the crack of a door that had been reopened just slightly and within two hours was on Sky saying he would have to consider whether to take him up on the offer.

The Guardian - Sport

But Safarova, sensing her chance, went for broke and forced a tie-break before winning it 7-2 to earn a decider.

The Guardian - Sport

His team-mates, sensing all was not well with their leader, could be seen dropping back to help the Tasmanian.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Some can tell the latter with motion-sensing cameras, or simply by seeing that your smartphone (and therefore you) has left the premises.

The Guardian - Tech

When its magnetic trigger is pulled past a sensor in the trigger guard, a chip is switched on to crunch data from pressure-sensing piezoelectric sensors in the handgrip.

The Economist

The American armed forces have several LIDAR systems in development and plan to start producing Artemis, a field-deployable LIDAR, in 2005.Even these increasingly sophisticated systems for distance-sensing, however, have difficulties sorting out the particular signature of bioagents from the background muddle, especially when the concentration of bioagents is small.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sensing", ensure the context clearly indicates whether you are referring to a physical sensation, an emotional feeling, or an intuitive perception. Providing specific details can enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "sensing" when "knowing" or "understanding" is more appropriate. "Sensing" typically implies an awareness based on feelings or intuition rather than concrete information.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "sensing" is that of a present participle or gerund. Ludwig examples show it functioning as part of a continuous verb form (e.g., "is sensing") or as a noun (e.g., "methods of sensing"). According to Ludwig AI, it can describe physical/mental experiences or a feeling about something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sensing" is a versatile term that describes the act of becoming aware of something, whether through physical senses or intuition. As Ludwig AI points out, it can apply to both concrete experiences and abstract feelings. Its frequent use in news, scientific, and business contexts underscores its widespread applicability. While grammatically straightforward, be mindful of the context to ensure the intended meaning is clear, avoiding ambiguity by providing specific details when possible. Considering alternatives like "perceiving" or "feeling" can also enhance the precision of your writing. The frequent presence of "sensing" in authoritative sources like The Guardian and The Economist, indicates its reliability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

perceiving

Emphasizes the awareness of something through the senses.

detecting

Highlights the act of discovering or identifying something, often subtly.

noticing

Focuses on becoming aware of something, often through observation.

feeling

Implies an emotional or intuitive awareness.

realizing

Emphasizes the sudden understanding or awareness of something.

anticipating

Focuses on predicting or expecting something to happen.

suspecting

Suggests a belief or hunch about something, often negative.

recognizing

Highlights the identification of something previously known.

becoming aware of

A more verbose way of expressing the act of gaining knowledge or perception.

having a sense of

Implies an intuitive or vague understanding of something.

FAQs

How can I use "sensing" in a sentence?

You can use "sensing" to describe perceiving something through the senses, like in "I was sensing a change in the atmosphere", or to describe having an intuitive feeling about something, such as "She was sensing danger".

What's a good alternative to "sensing"?

Depending on the context, you could use "perceiving", "detecting", or "noticing" to describe becoming aware of something through the senses. Alternatively, "feeling", "anticipating" or "suspecting" could be used to describe an intuitive feeling or expectation.

Is it correct to say "sensing that"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to use "sensing that" to introduce a clause explaining what is being sensed, for instance, "Sensing that he might lose, Mr. Milosevic...".

What's the difference between "sensing" and "feeling"?

"Sensing" often refers to a more general awareness or perception, while "feeling" typically implies an emotional or physical sensation. You might "sense" a change in the air, but you would "feel" happy or cold.