supposedly owing to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "supposedly owing to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when attributing a cause or reason to something that is believed to be true but may not be confirmed. Example: "The event was canceled, supposedly owing to bad weather conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Local Serbs have been sent unexplained bills for huge sums supposedly owed to Government-owned banks from overdrafts incurred before the war.

The New York Times

Yet despite scoring 11 top 20 hits in the UK, the Small Faces reaped barely any of the rewards supposedly owed to them.

The Guardian - Music

Rather than the rematch he supposedly owes to José Aldo, the interim title holder at 145lbs – who he knocked out in 13 seconds at UFC 194 – he insisted on the lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, a man he then mocked on Tuesday as "a broke, jealous fighter" who he would knock out in the first round.

The Guardian - Sport

I don't know how much longer the people of my country Afghanistan will tolerate what is being done to them under the elaborate pretense of "democracy," "freedom to choose" their leaders and the devotion, duty and allegiance they supposedly owe to the "saviors" of their land, the legendary and heroic big men of the Mujahideen.

Huffington Post

He is the first minister of what is supposedly a sovereign state, but unable, owing to our EU membership, to control who passes back and forth across its borders, and uncomfortably aware that much of the military hardware dotted around the nation is owned by one of our allies.

Independent

Venezuela and Nigeria are unreliable, owing to civil strife.

The Economist

Turnout was low, owing to the snow.

The Economist

They have become collectables owing to nostalgia.

BBC

The caller told the resident to go to a local store and purchase a reloadable debit card called a Green Dot MoneyPak to pay a specific amount supposedly owed in back taxes.

Los Angeles Times

After all, this was the 2000s: Section 28 had been repealed; it was generally agreed that the gay-panic defence wasn't really a legitimate defence; and in just a few years I could get my Boden Kids bucket hat back out because house music – a genre that supposedly owed its genesis to a gay club in Chicago – was having a resurgence.

Vice

"The foundation" of the Sino-Forest fraud, stated the Muddy Waters report, "is its convoluted structure whereby it runs much of its revenues through 'authorized intermediaries.' " Those organizations supposedly process tax payments owed to China on wood production, the report said, thereby assuring the company "leaves its auditors far less of a paper trail".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, consider replacing "supposedly owing to" with alternative constructions as "allegedly due to" or "reportedly because of" for increased precision.

Common error

Avoid overuse of "supposedly owing to", as it can make your writing sound repetitive or overly skeptical. Vary your language by using direct causal connectors or more descriptive phrases when possible to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "supposedly owing to" functions as a causal connector, indicating a cause or reason that is based on assumption, rumor, or unconfirmed information. It introduces an element of uncertainty or doubt about the stated reason.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

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Wiki

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Science

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "supposedly owing to" functions as a causal connector that introduces a degree of uncertainty. It implies that the reason being given is based on unverified information or hearsay. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and can be used in written English. Although the phrase is valid, it is not very common, and careful consideration of context and desired formality is required. Replacing it with alternatives like "allegedly due to" or "reportedly because of" could increase the clarity and precision of one's writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

allegedly due to

Replaces "supposedly" with "allegedly", emphasizing that the cause is based on unproven claims.

reportedly because of

Uses "reportedly" to indicate the cause is based on reports from others, not direct knowledge.

ostensibly because of

Employs "ostensibly" to suggest the stated reason might be a pretext or cover for the real cause.

putatively attributed to

Replaces "supposedly" with "putatively", indicating a generally accepted but unproven attribution.

purportedly as a result of

Uses "purportedly" to express doubt about the truth of the stated reason, highlighting potential skepticism.

ostensibly attributed to

Emphasizes that the stated cause is the apparent one, but may not be the actual reason.

ostensibly caused by

Indicates that the cause is the one that is outwardly presented, but potentially misleading.

seemingly due to

Suggests that the cause appears to be a particular reason, but it might not be the real reason.

apparently because of

Replaces "supposedly" with "apparently", indicating the cause is based on surface-level observations.

ostensibly thanks to

The alternative is very similar to the main query but the usage is suitable only when the original reason is positive.

FAQs

How can I use "supposedly owing to" in a sentence?

You can use "supposedly owing to" to indicate that a stated reason is based on assumption or hearsay, such as: "The delay was "supposedly owing to" a scheduling conflict".

What are some alternatives to "supposedly owing to"?

Alternatives include "allegedly due to", "reportedly because of", or "ostensibly because of", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "supposedly owing to" formal or informal?

"Supposedly owing to" is generally considered neutral to formal. For more formal contexts, consider alternatives like "ostensibly due to".

What is the difference between "owing to" and "supposedly owing to"?

"Owing to" indicates a direct cause or reason, while "supposedly owing to" suggests that the cause is based on unverified information or hearsay. Adding "supposedly" introduces an element of doubt or uncertainty.