ship bound for

USAGE SUMMARY

It is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you are talking about a ship bound for a certain destination. Example: The cruise ship was bound for the Caribbean islands.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He's on a ship bound for a fresh new planet with 5,000 other pod-bound hibernating colonialists.

The Guardian - Film

He murdered her on a ship bound for France.

The New Yorker

A ship bound for Turkey is loaded with scrap metal.

The Washington Post

He ran away at 11 and stowed away on a ship bound for Mobile, Ala.

The New York Times

He eventually escaped, hiding in a shipping container on a ship bound for the United States.

The New York Times

Instead, the injured were put on a ship bound for Italy a few days later.

The Guardian

Naipaul begins at Waterloo en route to an immigrant ship bound for Port of Spain.

The Guardian - Books

One day, at Hull, Crusoe saw one of his companions board a ship bound for London.

The Guardian

Their paths converge aboard the Hind, a ship bound for China.

The New Yorker

Subsequently, his uncle has David kidnapped and placed on a ship bound for the Carolinas.

Britannica

It produced centrifuge parts that were intercepted last year on the BBC China, a ship bound for Libya.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "ship bound for", ensure that the destination is clearly specified to avoid ambiguity. For instance, "The container ship is bound for Rotterdam" provides a clear and concise understanding of the ship's destination.

Common error

Avoid using alternative prepositions with "bound" other than "for" when indicating a destination. Saying something like "ship bound to Italy" is grammatically incorrect; the correct phrasing is "ship bound for Italy".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ship bound for" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying the noun "ship". It indicates the destination or intended direction of the ship. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this structure is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Encyclopedias

13%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Books

6%

University

5%

Opinion

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ship bound for" is a grammatically correct and commonly used prepositional phrase that specifies the destination of a ship. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread acceptance and appropriate usage. Analysis of example sentences reveals that it is frequently found in news articles, encyclopedias, and general writing. While semantically similar alternatives exist, such as "ship heading towards" or "ship en route to", it is crucial to use the correct preposition "for" to maintain grammatical accuracy. Avoid using "to" instead of "for" in this context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ship heading towards

Replaces 'bound for' with 'heading towards', focusing on the direction of travel.

ship en route to

Uses 'en route to' instead of 'bound for', emphasizing the journey to a destination.

ship destined for

Emphasizes the predetermined destination of the ship.

ship sailing to

Focuses on the act of sailing towards a specific place.

ship traveling to

A more general phrase indicating travel to a location.

ship on its way to

Describes the ship as being in the process of going to a place.

ship with a destination of

Specifies the destination using a slightly more formal structure.

ship making for

An alternative to indicate progression towards a destination.

ship that is going to

A more verbose, but functionally equivalent alternative.

ship toward

A more concise version indicating the direction, but potentially lacking specificity.

FAQs

How to use "ship bound for" in a sentence?

Use "ship bound for" to indicate the destination of a ship. For example, "The cargo ship is bound for Shanghai" means that Shanghai is the ship's destination.

What can I say instead of "ship bound for"?

You can use alternatives like "ship heading towards", "ship en route to", or "ship destined for" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "ship bound for" or "ship bound to"?

"Ship bound for" is the correct and idiomatic phrasing when indicating a ship's destination. "Ship bound to" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What's the difference between "ship bound for" and "ship destined for"?

While both phrases indicate a ship's destination, "ship bound for" simply states the intended destination, whereas "ship destined for" implies that the destination is predetermined or inevitable.