touched on

USAGE SUMMARY

"touched on" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a topic has been mentioned briefly or introduced but not discussed in depth. For example: "The professor touched on some of the key themes in the book during his lecture."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Rush Limbaugh touched on a similar theme.

The New York Times

The two also touched on traffic.

The New York Times

It even touched on abortion.

The Guardian

She also touched on education.

The New York Times

"It's like I touched on something nostalgic".

The New York Times

There's so much that we touched on".

The New York Times - Sports

Much of Kinsella's work touched on baseball.

The Guardian - Books

"It touched on something because it's personal.

The Guardian

I've touched on a few.

Forbes

She also touched on Trump.

Vice

In this case, you touched on cyberwar.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "touched on" when you want to indicate that a topic was introduced but not thoroughly explored. It's appropriate for overviews or introductions where depth isn't required.

Common error

Avoid using "touched on" without giving any indication of what aspects were mentioned. Briefly summarize the points that were "touched on" to provide clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "touched on" functions as a phrasal verb indicating that a subject has been mentioned or addressed briefly without extensive detail. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

28%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "touched on" is a versatile phrasal verb used to indicate that a subject has been mentioned briefly. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. As shown by the diverse examples, the phrase appears most frequently in news and media, science, and academic contexts. When using "touched on", ensure you provide sufficient context to clarify what aspects of the topic were mentioned. Alternatives such as "mentioned briefly" or "alluded to" can be used to vary your writing. By using this guide, you can effectively incorporate "touched on" in your writing while avoiding common pitfalls.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mentioned briefly

Focuses on the act of mentioning something without detail.

alluded to

Suggests an indirect reference to a topic.

referred to

Implies a direct but not necessarily detailed reference.

glanced at

Emphasizes the superficial nature of the discussion.

covered lightly

Highlights the lack of depth in the coverage.

addressed cursorily

Suggests a quick and somewhat dismissive treatment of the subject.

spoken about briefly

A more descriptive way to indicate a short discussion.

made a passing reference to

Emphasizes the casual and brief nature of the mention.

hinted at

Suggests an even more subtle and indirect form of mentioning.

grazed upon

A more metaphorical way to describe a superficial treatment.

FAQs

How can I use "touched on" in a sentence?

You can use "touched on" to indicate that a topic was mentioned briefly. For example, "The lecture "touched on" several key points but didn't delve into detail."

What are some alternatives to "touched on"?

You can use alternatives like "mentioned briefly", "alluded to", or "referred to" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "touched on" in formal writing?

Yes, ""touched on"" is appropriate for formal writing when you need to indicate that a topic was introduced but not discussed in depth. However, consider using more precise language if greater detail is required.

What's the difference between "touched on" and "focused on"?

"Touched on" implies a brief mention, while "focused on" indicates a more in-depth and concentrated discussion. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the level of attention given to the topic.