we previously believed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we previously believed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a change in understanding or perspective regarding a particular idea or fact. Example: "After further research, we previously believed that the treatment was effective, but new evidence suggests otherwise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

The world is weirder than we previously believed, but also much better, richer and stranger.

The Guardian - Books

"Babies know much more about the world than we previously believed.

The Guardian

They said they were worried about "structural issues" — specifically, "what we see as America's governance and policymaking becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed".

The New Yorker

But such hopes seem illusory in the face of evidence that the scale of child sexual abuse in this country is much greater than we previously believed, and is increasing due to technology.

The Guardian - Opinion

Here is what S. & P. said: The political brinksmanship of recent months highlights what we see as America's governance and policymaking becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed.

The New Yorker

With each iteration of study, we find that these microbes and other hardy organisms living deep within the Earth are more important on the global scale than we previously believed.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Another way of seeing the matter of attachment involves the recognition of our inability to actually control what's going on outside of us -- and in our acceptance of this, we're more able to release attachment to or dependence on specific results we've previously believed we needed in order to be happy.

Huffington Post

"It shows that Stone Age society was far more sophisticated than we have previously believed," said Richard Bates, a geophysicist at the University of St. Andrews who was involved with the discovery.

The New York Times - Science

"We had previously believed that SOE customer data had not been obtained in the cyber-attacks on the company, but on May 1 we concluded that SOE account information may have been stolen and we are notifying you as soon as possible," Sony said in a message to customers.

The Guardian - Tech

"We think the lower production and weaker mix will have a more negative impact on second-quarter results than we had previously believed.

Forbes

"While we had previously believed the monoline insurers MBI and ABK were too important to fail due to the threat of systemic risk, and thus would likely be bailed out, we no longer think systemic risk is even realistic or a bailout of the monolines even viable," Whitney of Oppenheimer wrote in a note to investors Wednesday.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we previously believed" when highlighting a shift in collective understanding based on new information or evidence. It's effective for demonstrating progress in knowledge or correcting misconceptions.

Common error

Avoid using "we previously believed" when referring to a personal change in belief. This phrase implies a shared or collective prior understanding, not just an individual one. Instead, use "I previously believed" for personal perspectives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we previously believed" functions as a retrospective declaration, highlighting a change in understanding or a shift in perspective. It's used to contrast a past belief with a current understanding, often to introduce new information or corrected assumptions. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

30%

Academia

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "we previously believed" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a shift in understanding, transitioning from a past belief to a new perspective. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts but most frequently appears in News & Media, Science, and Academic writing. When employing this phrase, ensure that it reflects a genuine collective shift in understanding, not merely an individual change in perspective. While related phrases like "we used to believe" exist, choosing "we previously believed" can add a touch of formality and precision to your writing, underscoring the evolution of knowledge and perspectives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we used to believe

Replaces 'previously believed' with 'used to believe', a more concise and common alternative.

we formerly thought

Replaces 'previously believed' with 'formerly thought', emphasizing a past belief.

in the past, we believed

Adds the explicit time phrase 'in the past' for emphasis, while maintaining the core meaning.

we once assumed

Uses 'once assumed' instead of 'previously believed', suggesting a prior assumption.

we had thought before

Reorders the phrase slightly to 'we had thought before', keeping the core meaning.

our earlier understanding was

Expresses the previous belief as 'our earlier understanding', highlighting the change in comprehension.

we initially considered

Uses 'initially considered' to convey the original viewpoint or assessment.

it was earlier believed by us

Changes the structure to passive voice, 'it was earlier believed by us', altering the emphasis.

our initial impression was

Replaces 'belief' with 'impression', suggesting a less firm prior view.

what we thought before was

This restructuring emphasizes the contrast between past and present understanding.

FAQs

How can I use "we previously believed" in a sentence?

Use "we previously believed" to indicate a past collective understanding that has since changed, such as, "We previously believed that the Earth was flat, but scientific evidence has proven otherwise."

What's a formal alternative to "we previously believed"?

In formal contexts, you could use phrases like "it was formerly thought" or "our earlier understanding was" to convey a similar meaning with a more sophisticated tone.

Is it correct to use "we previously believed" when referring to a personal belief?

No, "we previously believed" implies a collective understanding. For personal beliefs, use "I previously believed" instead.

What is the difference between "we previously believed" and "we used to believe"?

"We previously believed" is slightly more formal than "we used to believe", though both convey a past belief that is no longer held. The choice depends on the context and desired tone.