was somewhat expected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'was somewhat expected' is correct and an appropriate choice for written English.
This phrase is often used to refer to something that was foreseeable, but not necessarily certain. For example, "The financial downturn was somewhat expected, given the current instability in the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

The firing was somewhat expected, though.

The New York Times - Sports

Unlike Verlander's performance, this was somewhat expected.

The New York Times - Sports

Ms. Glenn said the ABC announcement was somewhat expected.

The New York Times

"It was somewhat expected, the new stadium coming, the nice young nucleus they have," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

The change at Opel was somewhat expected given the troubles G.M. is experiencing in Europe.

The New York Times

This result was somewhat expected, given that dye fluorescence is not affected by folding alterations or enzymatic degradation.

Nature

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

"This is somewhat expected," said Frank Song, director of the Center for China Financial Research at the University of Hong Kong.

The New York Times

I do it maybe because it's somewhat expected". And then: "Listen, life is so long and you have a little time to play the game.

The Washington Post

Unlike that day in 2009 in which we were catapulted from oft-forgot MLS expansion team to MLS Cup victors, this time, we're somewhat expected to fare well.

The Guardian - Sport

Reflecting on the analysis, the contexts found were somewhat expected given participants' background.

Security Informatics

This is somewhat expected because the last migration is more recent than the first one.

IZA Journal of Development and Migration

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was somewhat expected" to convey a balanced perspective, acknowledging that an event wasn't entirely unforeseen but also not a certainty. This adds nuance to your writing.

Common error

Avoid overuse; it can dilute impact. If something was clearly predictable, opt for stronger terms like "inevitable" or "anticipated".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was somewhat expected" functions as a qualifying statement, softening the impact of an event by indicating it wasn't entirely surprising. Ludwig confirms its appropriate use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was somewhat expected" is a versatile phrase indicating partial anticipation or limited surprise. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts, notably in science, news, and business. While the phrase is generally safe to use, remember to consider other more suitable alternatives if more predictability must be pointed out, and avoid overusing it to prevent diluting the message's impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was reasonably anticipated

Replaces "somewhat expected" with a more formal and slightly stronger emphasis on the anticipation.

was partially predictable

Emphasizes the predictability aspect, suggesting that only part of the outcome was foreseen.

was fairly foreseeable

Highlights the foreseeability, indicating a reasonable expectation.

was kind of anticipated

Uses a more informal tone, softening the expectation.

aligns with expectations

Shifts the focus to the result matching what was predicted.

was not entirely surprising

Expresses a lack of complete surprise, implying some level of expectation.

was within the realm of possibility

Indicates that the event was considered a potential outcome.

was a distinct possibility

Suggests a noticeable chance of the event occurring.

could have been predicted

Highlights the ability to foresee the event, shifting from expectation to potential prediction.

didn't come as a shock

Uses a more emphatic tone to say that the outcome did not surprised anyone.

FAQs

How to use "was somewhat expected" in a sentence?

You can use "was somewhat expected" to describe an event that wasn't a complete surprise but not entirely certain either. For example, "The decline in sales /s/was+somewhat+expected due to the economic downturn".

What can I say instead of "was somewhat expected"?

You can use alternatives like "was reasonably anticipated", "was partially predictable", or "was fairly foreseeable" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "was somewhat expected" or "was fully expected"?

"Was somewhat expected" implies a partial anticipation, while "was fully expected" indicates complete certainty. The choice depends on the degree of predictability of the event.

What's the difference between "was somewhat expected" and "was less expected"?

"Was somewhat expected" means there was some level of anticipation, while "was less expected" implies the event was more surprising or unanticipated.