thought of asking

USAGE SUMMARY

"thought of asking" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a person's idea or contemplation of asking someone a question. For example, "She hesitated for a moment, but then thought of asking for a job application."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Read "Hiring Uncle Joe" on the site and forever abandon any thought of asking a relative.

The New York Times

I told the others but we all shrank from the thought of asking you.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

He says he had first thought of asking for a moment of silence in their honor.

The New Yorker

"Everyone felt they knew what was good for me and no one thought of asking," he wrote.

The Guardian

The thought of asking permission to use any of the fields in the Rumney village are never occurred.

The Guardian

The thought of asking his friends for help was agonising: he had a near pathological antipathy towards the idea of being a nuisance.

The Guardian - Tech

First laugh: at the image of the "right man" eventually falling into her lap, "Like: 'Whoops!'" Second laugh: the thought of asking sex advice from her mother, Janine.

The Guardian - Film

Everton's Muhamed Besic played against Lionel Messi in the World Cup, his first World Cup as well as Bosnia's, but the thought of asking for a shirt exchange at the end never occurred to him.

The Guardian - Sport

Then — once, on a Sunday evening in my bath, when the late sunlight, reflecting off the bathwater, made restless patterns on the ceiling — I'd be visited by the balm of a vision of great trees, at the very moment when I least thought of asking for it.

The New Yorker

Or maybe the student who insists on ploughing a lonely, unproductive furrow is just embarrassed at the thought of asking you yet another 'stupid' question.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Referring to his long-term girlfriend, Lucy Clarke, who campaigned against his extradition alongside Janis Sharp, McKinnon's mother, he added: "I had no hopes for a future, no way of making plans, no thoughts of asking Lucy to share my life, no thoughts of whether I could ever have children or get work.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thought of asking" to convey a moment of consideration or hesitation before making a request or inquiry. It's particularly effective when describing internal thoughts or unspoken intentions.

Common error

Avoid using "thought of asking" when you want to express a firm decision to ask. If the action of asking was already carried out, use a past tense construction like "asked" or "inquired" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thought of asking" functions as a verb phrase indicating a consideration or contemplation of making a request or inquiry. As supported by Ludwig AI, it accurately reflects a preliminary stage before action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "thought of asking" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase that describes the act of considering whether to make a request or inquiry. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in written English. It appears most often in news and media sources, indicating a neutral to slightly informal tone. While related phrases such as "considered asking" or "contemplated asking" offer similar meanings, "thought of asking" is particularly effective when conveying a moment of hesitation or internal deliberation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considered asking

This alternative uses "considered" instead of "thought", emphasizing the deliberation process more directly.

almost asked

This phrase emphasizes the near completion of the decision to ask

contemplated asking

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes a deeper level of consideration before asking.

was on the verge of asking

This phrase indicates that the person was very close to asking but didn't necessarily do it.

felt inclined to ask

This emphasizes the feeling or urge to ask, rather than a rational decision.

entertained the idea of asking

This phrase highlights the initial stage of considering a question, without necessarily implying a strong intention.

had it in mind to ask

This suggests a plan or intention to ask something.

was tempted to ask

This alternative highlights the allure or desire to ask something, even if it might be risky or inappropriate.

had a notion to ask

This alternative suggests a spontaneous or fleeting thought of asking.

toyed with the idea of asking

This alternative suggests a casual or playful consideration of asking.

FAQs

How can I use "thought of asking" in a sentence?

You can use "thought of asking" to describe a moment of considering a request. For example, "She "thought of asking" for a raise, but hesitated".

What's a good alternative to "thought of asking"?

Consider using alternatives such as "considered asking", "contemplated asking", or "entertained the idea of asking" for similar meanings.

Is "thought of asking" formal or informal?

"Thought of asking" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the surrounding language and situation.

Is it correct to say "I have thought of asking"?

Yes, "I have thought of asking" is grammatically correct. It uses the present perfect tense to indicate that you considered asking at some point in the past.