understood to work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "understood to work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation or concept that is generally accepted or recognized as functioning in a certain way. Example: "The new software is understood to work seamlessly with existing systems, ensuring a smooth transition for users."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore, issued eight years ago this month, was widely understood to work like that tape recorder in "Mission: Impossible".

The New York Times

The scheme is understood to work by UK earners "quitting" their job and signing new employment contracts with offshore shell companies.

The Guardian - Business

While these cells are understood to work synergistically to maintain leaflet structure and valvular function, few co-culture models of these cell types exist.

Acta Biomaterialia

The model is an approximation and presents the understanding of how the hydrogeological system is understood to work (Yihdego and Webb 2015; Yihdego and Paffard 2016; Yihdego and Webb 2016; Yihdego et al. 2016).

Applied Water Science

In stomata, NO and oxidative events are well understood to work in tandem (Wilson et al. 2009) and this is clearly also the case during plant defence.

AoB PLANTS

In doing so, we have made both methodological and substantive contributions to the challenge of evaluating and understanding the effects of interventions to change the environmental determinants of health, which are understood to work through long and potentially complex causal pathways.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He is now understood to be working in the US.

The Guardian - Business

Detectives are understood to be working under a wider interpretation of the phone-hacking law.

Independent

Rather, I am understood to be working class.

Huffington Post

If you understand yourself, then it's much easier to understand how to work with others.

Huffington Post

She wonders if he understands how to work it.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "understood to work", ensure that the understanding is widespread and not just an individual's opinion. Support the claim with evidence if possible.

Common error

Avoid using "understood to work" when there is limited evidence or a lack of consensus. Instead, use phrases like "believed to work" or "thought to work" to indicate uncertainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "understood to work" functions as a descriptive verb phrase. It is used to express that a process, system, or mechanism is generally accepted or recognized as being functional in a particular way, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33.3%

Science

50%

Wiki

16.7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "understood to work" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to convey a shared understanding of how something functions. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that its usage is relatively uncommon, with occurrences spanning across news, media, and scientific domains. While the phrase itself is neutrally registered, it's crucial to ensure that the understanding being conveyed is indeed widespread and supported by evidence. Alternatives like "believed to function" or "assumed to operate" may be more appropriate when the understanding is uncertain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

believed to function

Replaces "understood" with "believed", implying a degree of certainty based on evidence or reasoning but has the potential to be incorrect.

assumed to operate

Substitutes "understood" with "assumed", suggesting a presumption of functionality without concrete proof.

known to be effective

Focuses on the effectiveness of the operation, highlighting the result rather than the comprehension.

recognized as functional

Emphasizes the recognition of functionality rather than an inherent understanding of the mechanism.

presumed to be working

Emphasizes the presumption aspect and not necessarily a proven understanding.

accepted to be operational

Highlights the acceptance of operational status, often within a specific field or context.

deemed to be in working order

Focuses on the condition of being "in working order", implying a formal assessment.

conceived to function

This alternative replaces "understood" with "conceived", which places more emphasis on the initial idea of how something should work, rather than how it's generally understood to.

purported to run

Suggests a claim of functionality, which might not be verified or generally agreed upon.

theoretically functional

Implies a theoretical understanding of functionality, without practical evidence or implementation.

FAQs

How can I use "understood to work" in a sentence?

You can use "understood to work" to describe a process or system that is generally accepted as functional. For instance, "The new algorithm is "understood to work" efficiently under most conditions".

What are some alternatives to "understood to work"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "believed to function", "assumed to operate", or "known to be effective".

Is it always correct to use "understood to work"?

While grammatically correct, "understood to work" implies a widely accepted understanding. If the understanding is uncertain or disputed, consider using alternative phrasing to reflect that nuance.

What is the difference between "understood to work" and "said to work"?

"Understood to work" suggests a general comprehension of how something functions, while "said to work" implies that someone claims it works, but without necessarily proving or understanding why.