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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
touched upon lightly
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "touched upon lightly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a topic or subject that has been mentioned or addressed in a brief or superficial manner. Example: "In her presentation, she touched upon lightly the importance of mental health, but did not delve into the details."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Academia
Wiki
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
2 human-written examples
Reel's book is a busy one, dashing this way and that among a complicated aggregation of story lines, celebrity walk-ons, obscure but vivid eccentrics, cultural grotesqueries, big scientific ideas touched upon lightly and themes from the life of Du Chaillu himself.
News & Media
Sections of the book where we concentrate our attention: 1, 2, 4, 6, 12-17, 24-26, 24-26, 29, with 25 and 26 only touched upon lightly and 17 presented from quite a different point of view.
Academia
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
58 human-written examples
Controversial subjects, such as Ali's infamous baiting of Frazier, are touched upon relatively lightly; victories take precedence over defeats; those opposed to or uncomfortable with Ali's stance against the Vietnam War or his embrace of the Nation of Islam do not speak.
News & Media
Several factors make this so – some of which I previously touched upon (too lightly), and others that were later expanded upon by Sandeep Casi and Armando Kirwin in their excellent follow-up posts on TechCrunch.
News & Media
Subjects only lightly touched upon in the stream-of-consciousness tale of passion and pain are the death of Father Browne and her current relationship with Sandy Feddema.
News & Media
Certainly, the topic of racism in Paris is only very lightly touched upon, in the form of an uptight and bigoted bakery owner, played by Karin Viard.
News & Media
The parallel with today's great conmen - Maxwell, Archer - is lightly touched upon, although the implication that Balfour's headline-grabbing fall is evidence that the 1880s were the first media age wants watching.
News & Media
Real Hollywood horrors like a washed-up Bela Lugosi cruising Beverly Hills funeral homes for a fix of paraldehyde with the no-budget director Ed Wood Jr. are lightly touched upon.
News & Media
The personal journey doesn't really go anywhere; the issues of food addiction and body-image pressure are only lightly touched upon; and I'm not sure that a hug from Gok is really a long-term solution for these kids.
News & Media
To most of these and to several related questions, the most contradictory answers have been given,4 which cannot here be more than lightly touched upon.
Academia
"That is lightly touched upon, but doesn't bat you over the head.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use "touched upon lightly" when you want to indicate that a subject was mentioned but not explored in depth. This is especially useful in overviews or summaries.
Common error
Avoid using "touched upon lightly" without providing any context or indication of why the topic was only briefly mentioned. It can leave the reader feeling unsatisfied or confused.
Source & Trust
89%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "touched upon lightly" functions as a verb phrase used to indicate that a subject has been mentioned or addressed in a superficial or brief manner. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is correct and usable in written English.
Frequent in
News & Media
50%
Academia
25%
Wiki
25%
Less common in
Science
0%
Formal & Business
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "touched upon lightly" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate that a topic has been mentioned briefly or superficially. Ludwig AI validates its usability in written English. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Academic contexts. Alternatives include phrases such as "briefly addressed" or "superficially covered". When using this phrase, ensure to provide sufficient context to avoid leaving the reader confused. While it's acceptable across various registers, it's especially useful in overviews where in-depth exploration is not the primary goal.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
lightly referenced
Similar to the original, but uses "referenced" instead of "touched upon".
briefly addressed
Replaces the idiomatic expression with a more direct and concise verb phrase.
superficially covered
Emphasizes the lack of depth in the treatment of the subject.
mentioned in passing
Highlights the casual and brief nature of the reference.
glanced over
Suggests a quick and cursory examination of the topic.
alluded to briefly
Indicates an indirect and short reference.
dealt with summarily
Implies that the topic was handled quickly and without much detail.
skirted around
Suggests avoiding a direct discussion of the topic.
given cursory treatment
Indicates that the topic received minimal attention and detail.
made a fleeting reference to
Stresses the brief and insubstantial nature of the mention.
FAQs
What does "touched upon lightly" mean?
The phrase "touched upon lightly" means that a topic or subject was mentioned or addressed briefly, without going into great detail or providing extensive analysis.
How can I use "touched upon lightly" in a sentence?
You can use "touched upon lightly" to indicate that you are only going to briefly mention a topic. For example: "The report "touched upon lightly" the issue of climate change but focused primarily on economic policy."
What are some alternatives to "touched upon lightly"?
Alternatives to "touched upon lightly" include "briefly addressed", "superficially covered", or "mentioned in passing". The best choice depends on the specific context.
Is it correct to say "lightly touched upon" instead of "touched upon lightly"?
While grammatically understandable, "lightly touched upon" is less common and may sound less natural than "touched upon lightly". The latter is the more idiomatic and preferred phrasing.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
89%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested