sometimes more powerful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sometimes more powerful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing situations or contexts where something has varying degrees of strength or influence at different times. Example: "In certain scenarios, emotions can be sometimes more powerful than logic in decision-making."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

The stories are mainly gripping and always well told, though sometimes more powerful than the points they are meant to illuminate.

The New York Times - Books

By using a single critical value, the method is simpler than the approach of Langsrud and Naes (1998) and Venter and Steel (1998) and is sometimes more powerful.

Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference

At the top of the line come the barons of finance, the leaders of the large banks, who have extended unheard of power during the high times, leading institutions of tens or hundreds of thousands, true armies of finance, building empires sometimes more powerful than nations.

Forbes

The studies showed that non-pecuniary incentives are significant determinants, sometimes more powerful than financial ones.

Human Resources for Health

While most people with herniated discs eventually get better within six weeks, sometimes, more powerful pain medications and even surgery can be necessary.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Can silence sometimes be more powerful than speech?

The New York Times

Most destroyers built between the two world wars repeated Britain's V and W formula, sometimes with more powerful guns or with more torpedo tubes and generally displacing from 1,300 to 1,500 tons.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As the study's authors, Paul Dobson of the University of Loughborough and Michael Waterson of the University of Warwick, point out, many retailers now dwarf their suppliers, just as unions have sometimes become more powerful than employers.

The Economist

Thus, there is a lot of noise (or at least conflicting signals) in the data, as these tectonic shifts can sometimes be more powerful than any effect a vice presidential nominee might have.

The New York Times

And he handed two of the three portfolios in which the commission has the greatest power trade and the single market to the British and Irish commissioners (ie, to free-market liberals).Last week, Mr Barroso completed his appointments by reshuffling the commission's top civil servants (who have sometimes been more powerful than their nominal bosses).

The Economist

This attention is beneficial to people with disabilities as organizational advocacy can sometimes be more powerful than individual advocacy.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sometimes more powerful", ensure the context clearly indicates what it is more powerful than. This adds clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "sometimes more powerful" when the difference in power is negligible or insignificant. Ensure the increased power is substantial and noticeable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sometimes more powerful" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically an intensifier. It modifies a verb or adjective, indicating a variable degree of strength or influence, contingent upon specific circumstances. Ludwig AI highlights this usage across diverse examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "sometimes more powerful" effectively conveys a variable degree of strength or influence, contingent on specific circumstances. Ludwig AI confirms that its grammatical structure is correct and it is most frequently found in News & Media and Science contexts. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by specifying what the subject is more powerful than, and avoid exaggerating the degree of power. Consider alternatives like "occasionally more potent" or "at times more influential" to fine-tune the meaning. Although the phrase is correct and usable, be mindful of the context to ensure accurate and impactful communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

occasionally more potent

Substitutes "sometimes" with "occasionally" and "powerful" with "potent", emphasizing the infrequency and strength.

at times more influential

Replaces "sometimes" with "at times" and "powerful" with "influential", shifting the focus to impact.

periodically more effective

Changes "sometimes" to "periodically" and "powerful" to "effective", highlighting recurring effectiveness.

now and then stronger

Uses the idiomatic "now and then" instead of "sometimes", and "stronger" as an alternative to "powerful".

under certain conditions more dominant

Adds a condition for the increased power, replacing "powerful" with "dominant".

in some instances more forceful

Specifies "in some instances" instead of "sometimes", and uses "forceful" as a synonym for "powerful".

can be superior on occasion

Expresses the potential for superiority on specific occasions, rather than a consistent state.

may prove mightier in certain situations

Uses "may prove mightier" to indicate a potential for greater strength in specific contexts.

becomes more commanding at intervals

Highlights intermittent increases in commanding influence.

proves more compelling in select circumstances

Suggests a stronger sense of persuasiveness limited to specific circumstances.

FAQs

How can I use "sometimes more powerful" in a sentence?

You can use "sometimes more powerful" to compare the relative effectiveness or influence of something in different situations. For example, "Silence can be "sometimes more powerful than speech"".

What are some alternatives to "sometimes more powerful"?

Alternatives include "occasionally more potent", "at times more influential", or "periodically more effective", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "more powerful sometimes"?

While grammatically understandable, "more powerful sometimes" is less common and idiomatic than "sometimes more powerful". The latter flows better and is more widely used.

What does it mean when something is described as "sometimes more powerful"?

It indicates that the subject's strength or influence varies depending on circumstances or conditions; it is not consistently stronger, but gains advantage in specific instances.