symptom

USAGE SUMMARY

The word symptom is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a physical or mental sign of an underlying medical condition or illness. For example, "Fatigue is a common symptom of the flu."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But then, reluctance to learn from Europe is another symptom of the British disease.

The Guardian - Opinion

The term is often a symptom of lazy thinking by a generation that hasn't played games and can't see what all the fuss is about (or, as the great Douglas Adams put it: "Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

The Guardian - Opinion

But if I go straight to sleep, I have a sense of missing out (whether or not this is a wider symptom of the sickness of modern life is a question for another time).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Sterne warns that capital controls, whereby limits are placed on what savers can withdraw from banks, could be around the corner for Greece: One more turn of the financial screw and Greece would be in capital controls; a terrible symptom of political failure of a six-year attempt to restore sustainability".

The Guardian - Business

In most cases there is something that you can focus on to lessen the sadness – some relief of a particular symptom has been managed, the child is marginally better than when they arrived.

The Guardian

Today, I am trying to ignore a niggling anxiety that her cough is a symptom of something more serious than a cold.

The Guardian - Opinion

Her affinity with pop stars, whose music she almost certainly never listened to, was a symptom of a barely suppressed Bohemianism beneath the slightly chipped veneer of a hen-keeping home counties lady.

The Guardian - Arts

These superficial reforms might be better than nothing, but they barely treat the symptom of insidious American loan practices, let alone cure the disease of massive disinvestment in public education at all levels.

The Guardian - Opinion

The substitutions made in the Oxford Junior Dictionary – the outdoor and the natural being displaced by the indoor and the virtual – are a small but significant symptom of the simulated screen life many of us live.

The Guardian - Books

Symptom control and ethical questions are also addressed.

The Guardian

Economists are divided, however, over when the Fed will start to tighten and whether recent signs of economic sluggishness are down to one-off factors such as the harsh winter weather and falling oil prices, or a symptom of more fundamental weakness.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing medical conditions, use "symptom" to refer to subjective experiences reported by the patient, and "sign" for objective findings observed by a healthcare professional.

Common error

Avoid using "symptom" when you actually mean "cause". A "symptom" is a manifestation of a problem, not the root of it. For example, saying "High prices are a symptom of inflation" is correct, but saying "High prices are the symptom of the company losing sales" is inaccurate; "result" or "consequence" would be better choices.

Linguistic Context

The word "symptom" functions primarily as a noun. It denotes a subjective or objective indication of a disease or disorder. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's frequently employed to describe physical or mental signs of an underlying medical condition or a broader problem.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Formal & Business

18%

Science

18%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "symptom" is a versatile noun widely used across various contexts to describe an indication of a problem or condition. As Ludwig AI points out, it is frequently used to describe physical or mental signs of an underlying medical condition. Its meaning is clear and consistent, making it a reliable choice for both formal and informal communication. While alternatives like "indication" or "sign" exist, "symptom" is often preferred when referring to medical or psychological conditions. When writing, be mindful of differentiating "symptom" from "cause" to ensure accuracy. Given its very common usage in news media, formal business settings, and scientific literature, mastering the use of "symptom" is essential for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

indication

Replaces "symptom" with a more general term for something that points to a condition.

sign

Substitutes "symptom" with a simpler and more common term for an observable indication.

manifestation

Replaces "symptom" with a term that emphasizes the outward display of a condition.

marker

Replaces "symptom" with a term that suggests a specific indicator used for identification.

feature

Substitutes "symptom" with a word highlighting a notable characteristic.

evidence

Replaces "symptom" with a term implying proof or support for a condition.

attribute

Substitutes "symptom" with a word emphasizing a quality or characteristic that indicates a condition.

effect

Replaces "symptom" with a term highlighting the result or consequence of a condition.

development

Substitutes "symptom" with a word emphasizing an event that indicates something.

characteristic

Replaces "symptom" with a word that indicates the nature of something

FAQs

How is "symptom" used in a sentence?

Use "symptom" to describe a sign or indication of a condition or problem. For example, "Fatigue is a common "symptom" of the flu".

What can I say instead of "symptom"?

You can use alternatives like "indication", "sign", or "manifestation" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "symptom" or "cause"?

"Symptom" refers to a sign or indication of a problem, while "cause" is the reason why the problem exists. They are not interchangeable.

What's the difference between "symptom" and "sign"?

While both indicate a condition, "symptom" is typically subjective and reported by the patient (e.g., pain), while "sign" is objective and observed by a healthcare professional (e.g., rash).