sole thought

USAGE SUMMARY

"sole thought" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
This phrase usually describes a single idea or opinion that a person holds about something. For example, "His sole thought was that he needed to finish the task quickly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

War in this area is at a complete standstill, and the sole thought of the Japanese is to save as many of their troops as they possibly can.

The New York Times

It is hard to imagine middle managers, let alone blue-collar employees, waking up each day with the sole thought of creating more shareholder wealth.

Harvard Business Review

My suffering, however painful, is always qualified by the possibility of failure, the possibility that, despite everything, I'll become like other men and break my word at last; her death, by removing that possibility, would remove the sole thought that relieves my anguish.

The New Yorker

At a Defense Department news briefing today, Gen. Peter Pace of the Marines, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed that the rescue of the B-1B crew was the Pentagon's sole thought upon hearing of the crash.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Sleep became my only thought, the sole object of my anxiety.

The Guardian - Opinion

In different ways, these artists convey that the conceptual is not limited to the intellectual, nor is intellect the sole property of thought.

HuffPost

A proud Jew, and a champion of writers like Bernard Malamud, Saul Bellow and Philip Roth, he opposed the Zionist program in the 1940s and could speak with offhand contempt of Judaism, whose sole contribution to human thought, he wrote toward the end of his life, is "a summons to prayer, ritual and obedience".

The New York Times - Books

The sole begetter of his thoughts then was Cus D'Amato, his teacher and later his manager, who enlisted the interest of a patron, a New York hotel man, now dead.

The New Yorker

The absence of explicit author credits and the composite nature of the early Chinese texts, Kern said, calls into question the idea that for ancient China, scholars can equate a written artifact with the original thought of a sole individual.

Princeton University

Your support system may not look the way that you envision it to, but making it the sole or main focus of thought, will debilitate our efforts to attaining our goals.

Huffington Post

Indigenous knowledge system and practices is defined as a body of knowledge that develops within a given community through observation and real life experiences over a period of time, communicated orally or otherwise from one generation to the other with the ultimate aim of moulding its thought for the sole purpose of ensuring survival and progress [ 24].

BMC Veterinary Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sole thought" to emphasize the singularity and dominance of a particular idea or concern, especially when contrasting it with other potential considerations.

Common error

Avoid using "sole thought" when describing situations involving multiple contributing factors or nuanced perspectives. Opt for phrases like "primary consideration" or "major factor" to acknowledge complexity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sole thought" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms it's used to highlight the singular, dominant idea in a situation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sole thought" is a grammatically correct phrase used to emphasize a single, dominant idea or concern. Ludwig AI indicates that it's most commonly found in news and academic writing, suggesting a neutral to formal register. While not extremely common, its usage is consistent and effective for highlighting singularity. Alternatives like "only thought" or "dominant thought" can be used for semantic variation. Remember to reserve "sole thought" for situations where a singular focus is truly intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

only thought

Replaces "sole" with "only", emphasizing the exclusivity of the thought.

single thought

Substitutes "sole" with "single", highlighting the isolated nature of the thought.

dominant thought

Emphasizes the prevailing nature of the thought, suggesting it overshadows others.

main thought

Indicates the primary or central idea being considered.

chief thought

Highlights the thought as being the most important or principal one.

overriding thought

Suggests the thought is more important than anything else.

preoccupation

Implies a state of being constantly absorbed in a particular thought.

obsession

Indicates an excessive and compelling focus on a single thought.

central idea

Replaces the term 'thought' with a broader term 'idea'.

one track mind

An idiomatic expression conveying a singular focus on one particular thought.

FAQs

How can I use "sole thought" in a sentence?

You can use "sole thought" to emphasize that someone is only thinking about one thing. For example, "His "sole thought" was to protect his family."

What are some alternatives to "sole thought"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "only thought", "single thought", or "dominant thought".

Is it correct to say "the sole thought" or simply "sole thought"?

Both forms are grammatically acceptable, but "sole thought" is generally preferred. Adding "the" can sometimes sound slightly redundant, although context might influence the best choice.

What's the difference between "sole thought" and "main concern"?

"Sole thought" emphasizes the singularity of an idea, while "main concern" focuses on the primary source of worry or attention. They are similar, but not always interchangeable.