to resolve ambiguity

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to resolve ambiguity" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the need to clarify unclear or vague situations, statements, or information. Example: "In order to resolve ambiguity in the contract, we need to define the terms more clearly."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

NELL, Dr. Mitchell explains, is designed to be able to grapple with words in different contexts, by deploying a hierarchy of rules to resolve ambiguity.

The New York Times - Science

Recently, a revision of the VCSS (rVCSS) was performed to resolve ambiguity in the clinical descriptors and improve clarity and ease of use.

Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders

Crowdsourcing approaches that involve the chemical community to improve database quality [20, 29, 39], may also benefit from this information to resolve ambiguity issues.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Finally, emerging research on using nano-clays in cement-based materials is highlighted and recommendations to resolve ambiguity related to the presence of clays in cement-based materials are proposed.

Construction and Building Materials

In a previous study (Kono et al., 2003; Kikuchi et al., 2009), multi-frequency and same-beam differential VLBI technology are introduced to resolve ambiguity, and the correct delay values are obtained with an approximately 1 minute integration.

Earth, Planets and Space

A value of 0.2 rad is the upper limit of the phase error in a conservative estimate to resolve ambiguity, with a corresponding integration time 1/4 of that needed in the previous method.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

But in fact the Florida court applied garden variety principles of statutory interpretation to resolve ambiguities and reconcile conflicting provisions within the Florida Election Code.

The New York Times

General Casey declined to discuss any specific changes, but the report summary said the main intent was to resolve ambiguities "which, although they would not permit abuse, could obscure commanders' oversight of techniques being employed".

The New York Times

The brief for Mr. Gore argues that the Florida court "applied garden-variety principles of statutory interpretation to resolve ambiguities and reconcile conflicting provisions within the Florida Election Code".

The New York Times

We intended to introduce global context to resolve ambiguities that can occur locally when an image has multiple similar regions.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

The OpenSMILES effort [5] has attempted to resolve ambiguities in the published SMILES definition [6] to create a standard.

Chemistry Central Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to resolve ambiguity", ensure the context clearly indicates what specific ambiguity is being addressed. Providing specific examples enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid simply rephrasing the ambiguous statement. Dig deeper to identify the underlying reasons for the lack of clarity and address those directly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to resolve ambiguity" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. According to Ludwig AI, this is a correct and usable phrase. It indicates the reason or intention behind an action, aiming to clarify or eliminate uncertainty.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

17%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "to resolve ambiguity" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, particularly in scientific and formal contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to indicate the purpose of clarifying or eliminating uncertainty. While effective, alternative phrases such as "to clarify uncertainties" or "to eliminate vagueness" can offer nuanced shades of meaning. When using this phrase, it is vital to specify the source of ambiguity and adopt strategies that address its underlying causes for effective resolution.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clarify uncertainties

Replaces "resolve ambiguity" with a direct synonym using plural nouns to broaden the scope.

clear up confusion

Uses more informal language, replacing "resolve" with "clear up" and "ambiguity" with "confusion".

eliminate vagueness

Focuses on removing the quality of being vague, rather than directly addressing ambiguity.

disambiguate the meaning

Uses a more technical term, "disambiguate", focusing on the process of clarifying meaning.

define more clearly

Focuses on providing a clearer definition as a means to address the ambiguity.

make it more precise

Shifts the focus to increasing precision as a way of resolving ambiguity. More broadly applicable.

get rid of obscurity

Emphasizes the act of removing what is not clear or well-known, thereby addressing the ambiguity.

remove the doubt

Focuses on eliminating doubt as a consequence of addressing ambiguity. Presents a different angle on the core issue.

iron out discrepancies

This idiom suggests removing small differences or inconsistencies, addressing ambiguity indirectly.

shed light on

Figurative language suggesting clarification, which implicitly reduces ambiguity. Provides an indirect means of resolution.

FAQs

How can I use "to resolve ambiguity" in a sentence?

You can use "to resolve ambiguity" to introduce the purpose of an action aimed at clarifying something. For instance, "The document was revised to resolve ambiguity regarding payment terms".

What are some alternatives to "to resolve ambiguity"?

You can use alternatives like "to clarify uncertainties", "to clear up confusion", or "to eliminate vagueness" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to "resolve ambiguity" or "eliminate ambiguity"?

Both "resolve ambiguity" and "eliminate ambiguity" are correct. "Eliminate ambiguity" emphasizes complete removal, while "resolve ambiguity" suggests finding a solution or clarification, which might not always mean complete elimination.

How does context influence the best way to "resolve ambiguity"?

The context determines the appropriate method to resolve ambiguity. In legal documents, precise definitions are key. In creative writing, ambiguity might be intentional, so resolution may involve interpretation rather than alteration.