we touched upon

USAGE SUMMARY

"we touched upon" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to a discussion or exchange of ideas in which you only briefly discussed something. For example, "We touched upon the issue of rising tuition fees, but we didn't have time to explore it further."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

We touched upon the concept of desakota to understand urban clustering and settlements located between major cities.

Cornell University

Another phenomenon that normally takes place which we touched upon in the film is an area in the middle of Madrid that I know very well and they have hotbedding.

The Guardian - Film

On landing in Bangkok last year, restaurant manager Luke and I went straight to Khua Kling Pak Sod, tucked away on Thonglor Soi 5. Usually packed, this restaurant serves what's described as authentic southern-style Thai food: that means spicy as hell and heavier on the coconut cream than the sour, pungent dishes from further north, which we touched upon last week.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The good news: As we touched upon earlier, AT&T has finally confirmed that iPhone tethering will launch this summer.

TechCrunch

In this wide-ranging and candid interview, we touched upon everything from the recent acquisition to the company's future product plans.

TechCrunch

We touched upon the company a couple weeks ago as part of our Y Combinator demo day roundup but never gave it our full treatment.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Then, we look at how some of the more far-out thinking we're touched upon could be relevant to your work in the future.

There's Not an App for That Mobile User Experience Design for Life

We also touched upon elevator pitches and the importance of clear headlines.

The Guardian

An open question is therefore how the various mechanisms we have touched upon could be better unified to help developers configure, compose, and extend existing platforms, and take informed decisions on how best to obtain desired features.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

There's so much we have that we haven't even touched upon".

Los Angeles Times

We hope this point is touched upon throughout the exhibition, culminating in the epilogue which documents Lippard's conceptual art exhibition devoted to women artists, c.7,500.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we touched upon" to signal to your audience that you will only be briefly addressing a topic and won't delve into extensive detail. This sets expectations and prevents potential confusion.

Common error

Don't assume your audience has prior knowledge of the topics you've "touched upon". Even if you're not going into detail, provide a brief explanation or definition to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we touched upon" functions as a reporting verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms that it indicates a brief or superficial discussion of a topic, acting as a signal that further details may not be provided. Examples from Ludwig show its use in various contexts to introduce topics without in-depth analysis.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

34%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we touched upon" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to indicate a brief or introductory discussion of a topic. Ludwig AI validates its proper usage across diverse sources like News & Media, Science and Academia and contexts. This phrase serves as a signal that the topic was only lightly discussed and that more detail may not be provided. When using this phrase, be aware of your audience's prior knowledge and avoid assuming understanding of key concepts. Semantically related phrases include "we briefly mentioned", "we alluded to" and "we skimmed over". This phrase presents a neutral and useful way to introduce concepts concisely.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we briefly mentioned

Indicates a very short reference, emphasizing brevity over a more in-depth discussion.

we alluded to

Implies a subtle or indirect reference, suggesting the topic was not discussed explicitly.

we skimmed over

Conveys a sense of quickly passing over a topic without thorough examination.

we addressed briefly

Highlights the act of formally addressing the topic, but only in a concise manner.

we spoke of briefly

Suggests a spoken reference, indicating a casual or less formal discussion.

we lightly discussed

Emphasizes the lack of depth in the discussion, implying a superficial treatment.

we made a passing reference to

Highlights the incidental nature of the reference, suggesting minimal focus on the topic.

we just mentioned

Indicates a short and potentially isolated note of something.

we hinted at

Shows an indirect suggestion of something, not explicitly discussed but subtly indicated.

we grazed on

Emphasizes the shallowness of the discussion, implying very little substance or analysis.

FAQs

How can I use "we touched upon" in a sentence?

You can use "we touched upon" to indicate that a topic was briefly discussed or mentioned. For example, "In the meeting, we touched upon the budget constraints, but the main focus was on the marketing strategy."

What are some alternatives to "we touched upon"?

Some alternatives to "we touched upon" include phrases like "we briefly mentioned", "we alluded to", or "we skimmed over". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "we touched upon" in formal writing?

Yes, "we touched upon" is generally appropriate for formal writing, particularly in reports or academic papers, to indicate that a topic was acknowledged without being extensively analyzed. The register depends on the overall context.

What's the difference between "we touched upon" and "we explored"?

"We touched upon" suggests a brief and superficial examination, while "we explored" indicates a more thorough and in-depth analysis. Use "we touched upon" when you only briefly mentioned something, and "we explored" when you examined something in detail.