singular incident

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "singular incident" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to an event or occurrence that is unique or not repeated. Example: "The investigation revealed that the theft was a singular incident, not part of a larger pattern of crime."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Investigators, however, were pursuing allegations that beer drinking by officers outside the station house was routine, not a singular incident.

The New York Times

Though the city had an eerie calm, as if nothing were amiss, many foreigners in Afghanistan, not least the big UN contingent, are now asking whether this was a singular incident or a harbinger of worse outbreaks of violence.In this section Seven brothers Burning passions Sensational Lights, camera...Anwar?

The Economist

Rather a singular incident or technological material phenomenon could have initiated the fatigue crack, which then caused the accident.

Engineering Failure Analysis

Baltimore PD Spokeswoman Sarah Connolly told VICE in an email, "We are investigating each incident as a singular incident while examining any trends and patterns to ensure that we are deploying our officers and resources effectively while being proactive and engaging the community.

Vice

Expand on this singular incident.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

A few singular incidents marred an otherwise non-violent day of voting, including a rock-throwing incident aimed at a car carrying Poroshenko Bloc candidates Sergiy Leshchenko, Mustafa Nayem, and Svitlana Zalishchuk near Znamyanka in Kirovograd Oblast.

Vice

These latter data are, however, strongly biased by data from Yellowstone, USA, which includes 23 incidents involving singular fatalities.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

This April, the federal monitor charged with overseeing the implementation of those reforms issued a report praising the Department's progress, saying that a clear drop in use-of-force incidents signaled a "singular and foundational milestone on SPD's road to full and effective compliance — and represents Seattle crystallizing into a model of policing for the 21st century".

Vice

For the inversion of the singular operators, all functions including the incident field should be expanded in terms of the Fourier series in φ.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

". "The incident with B. Scott was a singular one with a series of unfortunate miscommunications from both parties," the network explained.

Huffington Post

Still, it is not only the increasing number of these incidents that is causing alarm but also the singular perversity — for want of a less anthropocentric term — of recent elephant aggression.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "singular incident" to emphasize that an event is isolated and not part of a recurring pattern. This clarifies that no systemic issue is present.

Common error

Avoid using "singular incident" repeatedly in a single report. If several isolated events are discussed, consider using more varied language to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "singular incident" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It identifies a specific occurrence and emphasizes its unique nature, as illustrated by examples in Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "singular incident" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe a unique or isolated event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides examples of its usage in contexts like news reports, scientific analyses, and general discussions. While relatively rare, "singular incident" is most commonly found in news and media, emphasizing that the event is not part of a larger pattern. Alternatives like "isolated incident" or "unique occurrence" can be used depending on the specific nuance desired. Using "singular incident" effectively involves highlighting the isolated nature of the event to prevent assumptions of systemic issues.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

isolated incident

Focuses on the incident being separate from any pattern.

unique occurrence

Emphasizes the distinct and unrepeatable nature of the event.

one-time event

Highlights that the incident happened only once.

exceptional circumstance

Indicates the incident deviates from the norm.

unprecedented event

Stresses the lack of prior parallel incidents.

rare occurrence

Highlights the infrequency of such an event.

isolated case

Emphasizes the separateness and infrequency of the incident.

uncharacteristic event

Indicates the incident is not typical or expected.

anomalous event

Highlights that the event deviates from what is standard or normal.

peculiar incident

Stresses the odd or unusual nature of the incident.

FAQs

How can I use "singular incident" in a sentence?

You can use "singular incident" to describe an event that is unique and not part of a larger pattern. For example, "The company assured investors that the data breach was a "singular incident" and not indicative of systemic vulnerabilities."

What's a more formal alternative to "singular incident"?

For more formal contexts, consider using "unique occurrence" or "isolated case". These alternatives maintain a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

Is "singular incident" interchangeable with "isolated incident"?

While similar, "singular incident" emphasizes uniqueness, while "isolated incident" stresses the separation from other events. The choice depends on which aspect you want to highlight.

Can "singular incident" be used to describe positive events?

Yes, although it's often used for negative or unusual events, "singular incident" can describe any unique occurrence, whether positive or negative. For instance, "The discovery of the new species was a "singular incident" in the researcher's career."