singular occurrence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "singular occurrence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to an event or instance that happens only once, emphasizing its uniqueness. Example: "The phenomenon was a singular occurrence that had never been documented before in the region."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

How you regard this singular occurrence depends on your point of view.

The New Yorker

His story is part of a common narrative, not a singular occurrence.

The Guardian

Jarre took his spectacular show to China in 1981, an incredible and singular occurrence at the time.

The Guardian - Music

There were some pockets of the city where homicide was a singular occurrence: 12 of the city's 77 police precincts, in locations as varied as Hamilton Heights, in Upper Manhattan, and Park Slope, Brooklyn, had logged one each through Sunday.

The New York Times

Because they covered only a single month in 2003, it could not be determined if the pattern of payments to the nine people was a singular occurrence, or continued closer in proximity to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions that Mr. Hsu eventually bundled.

The New York Times

That isn't a singular occurrence, it was just the worst day.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

This follows from its treatment of bare singular occurrences of names as definite descriptions, where a given name "N" is analyzed as the x s.t.

University of Chicago

If one is also concerned with causal explanation if one holds that singular occurrences are explained by citing their causes then the causal completeness of physics in turn commits multiple realizability proponents to physics' possessing an important variety of explanatory completeness that all other sciences lack.

SEP

The majority of farms reported singular occurrences of births and deaths.

BMC Veterinary Research

A substitution instance is the result of replacing primitive non-logical symbols by possibly more complex ones of the same semantic type n-place predicatype n-placen formulas in n variables, and individual constants with singular terms—each occurrence of the same predicatessymbol being replaced by the same possibly complex symbol.

SEP

Causal explanations explain because they fit singular causal occurrences into true causal generalizations (2005, 442 43).

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "singular occurrence" with descriptive adjectives to add context and imagery (e.g., "a strange singular occurrence", "a remarkable singular occurrence").

Common error

Avoid using "singular occurrence" in situations where simpler terms like "event" or "incident" suffice; reserve it for instances where the uniqueness truly needs emphasis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "singular occurrence" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "singular" modifies the noun "occurrence". Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature in written English. It specifies that the event or instance is unique.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "singular occurrence" is a grammatically sound and meaningful phrase used to describe a unique, one-time event. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and appropriateness in various contexts. While applicable in news and media, it's particularly suited for formal and scientific discourse where precision is valued. Remember to reserve it for cases where emphasizing uniqueness is crucial, and be mindful of potential redundancy by avoiding modifiers like "very". Consider alternatives such as "unique event" or "rare instance" to prevent overuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unique event

Replaces "occurrence" with "event" emphasizing the one-time nature.

isolated incident

Substitutes "singular" with "isolated" and "occurrence" with "incident", highlighting its separateness.

one-time event

Uses a more direct and simplified term for an event that happens only once.

rare instance

Emphasizes the infrequency of the occurrence by using "rare".

uncommon event

Highlights the lack of commonality of the event.

exceptional case

Indicates the occurrence is an exception to the norm.

unprecedented situation

Suggests the occurrence has no prior parallel.

atypical incident

Highlights the deviation from the typical or usual.

infrequent happening

Replaces occurrence with happening

unparalleled event

Implies there is nothing similar to the event.

FAQs

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

You can use "singular occurrence" to describe an event that is unique and not likely to be repeated. For example, "The meteor shower was a "singular occurrence" that scientists had predicted for years."

What are some alternatives to "singular occurrence"?

Alternatives include "unique event", "rare instance", or "isolated incident depending on the context".

Is it redundant to say "very singular occurrence"?

Yes, adding "very" to "singular occurrence" is generally redundant because "singular" already implies uniqueness and rarity. It's best to use ""singular occurrence"" on its own.

What is the difference between "singular occurrence" and "unusual occurrence"?

"Singular occurrence" implies that something happens only once, while "unusual occurrence" suggests something that is not typical but can still happen more than once. The former emphasizes uniqueness, and the latter emphasizes rarity or oddity.