slightly becoming

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slightly becoming" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to describe a gradual change or transformation, but it is better to use more conventional expressions. Example: "The weather is slightly becoming warmer as spring approaches."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

When this happened, I thought I sensed his voice changing slightly, becoming more soothing and politely satisfied, as if he'd just made a winning move in a game.

The New Yorker

As I got older and understood less about the world, I softened slightly, becoming less prone to spewing the grandstanding declaratives that had pockmarked my youth.

Vice

During adaptation to Sf-900III medium, the cell morphology changed slightly, becoming more rounded.

BMC Biotechnology

We show in Appendix A that with reference populations A′ and B′ in place of A and B, Equation 4 for the expected weighted LD curve changes only slightly, becoming E [ a (d ) ] = 2 α β F 2 (A ″, B ″ ) 2 e − n d, (6 where A″ and B″ are the branch points of A′ and B′ on the A– B lineage.

Genetics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

England convene a little conference… Updated at 9.07pm GMT 9.05pm GMT 19th over: West Indies 149-6 (Simmons 66, Sammy 8) – Target 166 The over starts with a decent yorker, and then another pitched slightly fuller, becoming a low full toss.

The Guardian - Sport

The most anterior stripe is barely resolved before fading; the second stripe persists slightly longer, becoming well resolved as it moves forward towards the middle of the egg, before fading as it reaches about 60% egg length.

BMC Biology

In the APHEA2 study, the PM10 associations were significantly reduced in the multipollutant models by the inclusion of NO2 (as found here) and slightly (but becoming statistically insignificant) for CO.

Environmental Health Perspectives

The profile of the breed's head is usually flat or somewhat concave, becoming slightly convex from the nasal region to the top of the muzzle.

Wikipedia

Upon several seconds of viewing lines tilted slightly away from vertical, their apparent orientation appeared to rotate very slowly, becoming slightly more vertical over time.

Plosone

The moistness in the air becoming slightly more material.

The New Yorker

But these days, there are concerns that the neighborhood is becoming slightly less bent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "slightly becoming" to describe gradual shifts or transitions, especially when the change is subtle and not immediately apparent. For example, "The music was slightly becoming more complex as the piece progressed."

Common error

Avoid using "slightly becoming" when the change is significant or dramatic. This phrase indicates a subtle shift, so using it for major transformations can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly becoming" functions as an adverb-verb construction, modifying the verb to indicate a gradual and subtle change. Examples from Ludwig show its use in describing changes in cell morphology, voice tone, and personal responsibility.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Academia

5%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "slightly becoming" is an adverb-verb phrase used to describe gradual and subtle transitions. Ludwig AI indicates that while grammatically sound, its usage is not widespread. It finds application across diverse sources such as News & Media, Science and Wiki, with a neutral register. When seeking alternative phrases, consider options like "gradually turning into" or "slowly evolving into" for similar semantic meaning. Remember to use it to describe slight and subtle changes, to avoid overstating the transformation. This phrase effectively conveys a sense of unfolding development, emphasizing the delicate nature of the process.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gradually turning into

Emphasizes a gradual transformation process.

slowly evolving into

Highlights the evolutionary aspect of the change.

progressively transforming into

Stresses the continuous nature of the transformation.

gently developing into

Implies a mild and unforced development.

moderately converting to

Focuses on the conversion aspect of the change, with a moderate degree.

imperceptibly morphing into

Highlights the subtle and almost unnoticeable nature of the change.

subtly shifting toward

Emphasizes a delicate and nuanced shift in direction.

faintly changing into

Highlights the weak and understated nature of the change.

mildly growing into

Focuses on the growth aspect, with a mild intensity.

barely turning towards

Emphasizes minimal directional change.

FAQs

How can I use "slightly becoming" in a sentence?

Use "slightly becoming" to describe a gradual or subtle transition. For example: "The weather is slightly becoming warmer" or "Her accent was slightly becoming more pronounced after her trip".

What are some alternatives to "slightly becoming"?

You can use alternatives like "gradually turning into", "slowly evolving into", or "gently developing into" depending on the context.

Is "slightly becoming" grammatically correct?

Yes, "slightly becoming" is grammatically acceptable, although it is not a very common phrase. Ludwig AI suggests that while grammatically sound, it's not a frequent expression.

When is it best to use "slightly becoming" over other similar phrases?

Use "slightly becoming" when you want to emphasize the subtlety and gradual nature of a change. It's suitable for describing processes that are unfolding slowly and without significant immediate impact.