sought to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

"sought to understand" is a perfectly acceptable phrase that can be used in written English.
It usually implies that someone was trying to gain a deeper understanding of something. For example: "The astrophysicist sought to understand the mysterious signals coming from deep space."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is high time we sought to understand them.

The New York Times - Books

They have sought to understand the modern, macho, heavily tattooed manifestations of Whitman's barbaric yawp.

The New York Times - Books

He sought to understand evil philosophically.

SEP

We sought to understand the mechanism underlying defective eNOS function.

Duke University

Secondary data was sought to understand the history of goat husbandry in the region.

Pastoralism

To dive deeper into this problem, our team sought to understand what employees preferred.

TechCrunch

Like Kant, both sought to understand mathematics as paradigms of knowledge in general.

SEP

Marx sought "to understand the inner workings of capitalism".

Wikipedia

But with heart and mind open, I sought to understand.

HuffPost

Thus, we sought to understand the regulation of SIRT1 splicing.

Plosone

We sought to understand why smokers quit unassisted.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Vary your vocabulary by using synonyms like "aimed to comprehend" or "endeavored to grasp" to avoid repetition and add nuance to your writing.

Common error

While grammatically correct, using "sought to understand" in very casual or informal writing can sound overly formal or stilted. In those situations, consider using simpler phrases like "tried to figure out" or "tried to get to the bottom of things."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sought to understand" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action of attempting to gain knowledge or comprehension. Ludwig's examples show its usage across various academic, scientific, and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

61%

News & Media

22%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sought to understand" is a grammatically correct and frequently used verb phrase that indicates a deliberate attempt to comprehend something. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English. Its prevalence in scientific, academic, and news contexts suggests a formal to neutral register. While versatile, it's advisable to consider context and audience, opting for simpler alternatives in informal settings. Using alternatives like "aimed to comprehend" or "endeavored to grasp" can add nuance and prevent repetition. This phrase effectively communicates an active pursuit of knowledge and is a valuable tool in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aimed to comprehend

Replaces "sought" with "aimed", focusing on intention, and "understand" with "comprehend", which suggests a more complete understanding.

endeavored to grasp

Uses "endeavored" to emphasize effort and "grasp" to suggest a more active attempt to seize understanding.

tried to figure out

A more informal alternative, replacing "sought to understand" with a colloquial expression indicating an attempt to resolve a problem or mystery.

made an effort to comprehend

Emphasizes the effort involved in understanding, with a slightly more formal tone.

worked to decipher

Suggests the act of interpreting something complex or obscure.

strived to unravel

Implies a dedicated effort to disentangle a complex issue or problem to understand it.

undertook to learn

Focuses on the beginning of a learning process, suggesting a commitment to acquire knowledge.

set out to discover

Highlights the initial action of attempting to find or learn something new.

were driven to know

Emphasizes the motivation or compulsion behind the pursuit of understanding.

felt compelled to discern

Indicates a strong internal drive to distinguish or recognize something clearly.

FAQs

How can I use "sought to understand" in a sentence?

You can use "sought to understand" when describing a deliberate and thoughtful attempt to comprehend something complex. For example, "The researchers "sought to understand" the underlying causes of the disease."

What are some alternatives to "sought to understand"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "aimed to comprehend", "endeavored to grasp", or "tried to figure out".

Is "sought to understand" formal or informal?

"Sought to understand" leans towards the formal side. In more casual contexts, consider using phrases like "tried to understand" or "tried to figure out".

What's the difference between "sought to understand" and "tried to understand"?

"Sought to understand" implies a more deliberate, thoughtful, and often sustained effort to gain comprehension, while "tried to understand" simply indicates an attempt, which may or may not have been successful or particularly thorough.