unstructured

USAGE SUMMARY

"unstructured" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective used to describe something that is not organized in a set pattern or form. Example: The students engaged in an unstructured discussion about the current political situation.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

At the same time, they recognise that data scientists work with unique types of data – such as unstructured information flows from social media channels.

The Guardian

Making use of big data is tough, while it's all essentially binary numbers at heart, the actual data can exist as numbers, words, pictures, sounds or movies, it's often unstructured, so it's hard to find the useful stuff and there is a lot of it to check.

The Guardian

There, too, messiness, the unstructured and a lack of standards reign: there is no consensus if it should be plural or singular.

The Economist

Most of it is unstructured and stored in a non-machine-readable form (eg, English), which means that it can be read only by humans.

The Economist

Autonomy could also end up being acquired, not least by Oracle, the industry's big consolidator, which would certainly like to dominate the field of unstructured data as well.

The Economist

When robots are safe and aware of their surroundings, they will start to encroach on complicated, unstructured places such as offices and houses.

The Economist

More and more Chinese patients, who generally do not have a regular family doctor, are using a site run by Hao Dai Fu ("good doctor") to navigate their country's unstructured health system, says Haijing Hao of the University of Massachusetts.

The Economist

Finally, there is growing interest in systems that can analyse messy "unstructured" data, such as text on the web, rather than just structured data stored in orderly databases.From mining to intelligenceThe traditional British pub seems like an unlikely place to find the latest in data mining.

The Economist

Though the name of the customer may be present in a separate, structured field, the nature of his or her complaint is usually entered in unstructured prose in a different field.

The Economist

Discussions between the parties are still unstructured and ad hoc.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

If new tricks like predictive analytics and unstructured-data analysis catch on, that could prove to be a conservative figure.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing data, clarify what specific aspect is "unstructured". For instance, specify whether it is the format, the content, or the accessibility that lacks structure.

Common error

Avoid using "unstructured" as a vague descriptor. Instead of saying "the process was unstructured", specify which parts of the process lacked structure and how that impacted the outcome.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unstructured" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a lack of organization or defined structure. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it is widely used and considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "unstructured" describes something lacking a clear organization or format. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across various contexts. It is most frequently found in news and media, science, and formal business domains. When using "unstructured", it's best to be specific about what lacks structure, as vague descriptions can be misleading. Related terms include "disorganized", "unmethodical" and "haphazard". The term is considered appropriate for both formal and informal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disorganized

Emphasizes the lack of systematic arrangement.

unmethodical

Highlights the absence of a specific method or procedure.

haphazard

Suggests randomness and lack of planning.

chaotic

Indicates a state of complete disorder and confusion.

formless

Implies the absence of a defined shape or structure.

amorphous

Similar to formless, emphasizing lack of clear shape or structure.

random

Highlights the lack of a predictable pattern.

irregular

Indicates deviation from a standard or expected pattern.

unconventional

Suggests a departure from established norms or practices.

unregimented

Emphasizes the lack of strict order or control.

FAQs

How to use "unstructured" in a sentence?

You can use "unstructured" to describe something lacking a clear organization or format, like "unstructured data", "unstructured time", or "unstructured learning".

What's the difference between "unstructured" and "disorganized"?

"Unstructured" generally refers to the absence of a pre-defined structure, while "disorganized" implies that something was intended to have structure but has fallen into disarray.

What can I say instead of "unstructured"?

You can use alternatives like "disorganized", "unmethodical", or "haphazard", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to have structured or "unstructured" data?

It depends on the use case. Structured data is easier to analyze directly, while "unstructured" data often contains richer, more nuanced information that requires more sophisticated analysis techniques.