upon seeing

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon seeing" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe the action of looking at something. For example, "Upon seeing the beautiful sunset, I was filled with joy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

–upon seeing Alice in Dream Master.

Vice

upon seeing flagging lights, Mr. Samuelsen said.

The New York Times

Upon seeing these souls depart, Yuki wept.

The New Yorker

"Oh, boy," Fernández said, upon seeing her.

The New Yorker

The surprise upon seeing him never diminished.

The New Yorker

"Wow" and "Cool," each of them said upon seeing it.

The New York Times

This is my first thought upon seeing you, Mister Ling.

The New Yorker

Upon seeing the movie, he suspected I would start competing.

The New York Times

And suppose Tony ran away upon seeing Officer Bloomberg?

The New York Times

Yet he paused upon seeing the Padnos flyer.

The New Yorker

Upon seeing him, a different noise swept across the audience.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon seeing" to clearly indicate that an action or reaction immediately follows the act of visual perception. This can add a sense of immediacy and clarity to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "upon seeing" in overly complex sentences where the relationship between the visual perception and the subsequent action becomes unclear. Ensure the subject performing the seeing is easily identifiable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon seeing" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing an adverbial clause of time. It modifies the main clause by specifying when the action in the main clause occurs. Ludwig confirms this with numerous examples showing its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon seeing" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that establishes a temporal connection between visual perception and a subsequent action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's common across various contexts, especially in News & Media, Wiki, and Science. While generally neutral to formal, it adds clarity and immediacy to writing. To enhance writing, use it to clearly link visual perception to immediate consequences, but avoid complex sentence structures. Alternatives like "on observing" or "when viewing" offer similar meanings with slight differences in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on observing

Formal alternative emphasizing the act of careful watching.

when viewing

Focuses on the action of looking, suitable for describing visual experiences.

at the sight of

Emphasizes the visual aspect and the subsequent reaction.

as soon as one sees

Highlights the immediacy of the visual experience and its consequence.

the moment one sees

Similar to 'as soon as one sees', stressing the immediate reaction.

once viewing

Indicates that something happens after the act of viewing is completed.

having witnessed

Focuses on the act of witnessing, which implies a more significant observation.

after noticing

Emphasizes the act of noticing something visually.

observing that

More formal and emphasizes the observation leading to a conclusion or action.

perceiving that

Highlights the cognitive aspect of visual perception.

FAQs

How can I use "upon seeing" in a sentence?

"Upon seeing" is typically used to indicate what happens immediately after someone observes something. For example, "Upon seeing the fire, he immediately called for help."

What are some alternatives to "upon seeing"?

You can use alternatives like "on observing", "when viewing", or "at the sight of" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to use "upon seeing" or "when seeing"?

"Upon seeing" generally carries a slightly more formal tone than "when seeing". The choice depends on the overall formality of your writing.

What's the difference between "upon seeing" and "after seeing"?

"Upon seeing" implies a more immediate reaction than "after seeing". "Upon seeing" suggests the action happens almost instantaneously, while "after seeing" allows for a slight delay.