while under investigation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "while under investigation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is being examined or scrutinized for potential wrongdoing or issues. Example: "The company has suspended the employee while under investigation for misconduct."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

Two G4S employees resigned while under investigation, the firm said.

The Guardian

He was ordered detained for 30 days while under investigation for abuse of office and corruption.

The New York Times

The former president committed suicide in May while under investigation for graft.

The Economist

Alfonso Portillo, the president of Guatemala until last month, left the country for Mexico while under investigation for corruption.

The New York Times

Lower-level officials, the "flies" in Xi Jinping's formulation, have endured the harshest treatment while under investigation.

The New York Times

Mr Lieberman cannot be minister of internal security while under investigation, says the attorney-general, nor minister of justice.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

The Maharishi school in Reservoir received a $500,000 federal government grant while it under investigation after complaints about poor record keeping.

The Guardian

Lawrence said: "It is wholly unacceptable that these two companies are allowed to bid for the Probation Service while still under investigation for fraud regarding tagging and given their recent track records with the Olympics, private prisons and prison transport.

The Guardian

Hence, while still under investigation, ∆ gap1 cells are presumably more resistant than GAP1 cells to certain types of stress due to their higher trehalose content.

Communicative and Integrative Biology

While doctors under investigation differed in their demographic profile compared to the volunteer group, the volunteer group were more similar to the General Practitioners Register in terms of sex and qualification region.

BMC Medical Education

While still under investigation, the infiltration of regulatory T cells (Treg) was generally accepted to have protective effect on dopaminergic neurons through suppressing microgliosis either by direct contact or secreting cytokines that attenuate inflammatory responses [ 84, 85].

BioMed Research International

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "while under investigation" to clearly indicate that an action or situation is occurring concurrently with an ongoing inquiry. For example, "The employee was placed on administrative leave while under investigation."

Common error

Avoid unnecessarily using the passive voice when it obscures who is doing the investigating. Instead of saying "Mistakes were made while under investigation", specify "Mistakes were made while the committee was under investigation".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "while under investigation" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by providing information about the timing or circumstances of an action. As confirmed by Ludwig, it clarifies that something occurred concurrently with an ongoing inquiry.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "while under investigation" is a grammatically sound and common way to indicate that an event occurred concurrently with an ongoing inquiry. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It's most frequently found in news and media contexts, often describing situations where individuals or organizations are facing scrutiny. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity by specifying who is under investigation. Alternatives like "during the investigation" or "subject to investigation" can provide similar meaning with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

during the investigation

Focuses on the period when the investigation is active.

during the course of the investigation

More formal and elaborate way of saying "during the investigation".

subject to investigation

Emphasizes the state of being examined.

being investigated

Highlights the ongoing process of investigation.

while being examined

Similar to "being investigated" but slightly more general.

under scrutiny

Implies close and critical examination.

pending investigation

Suggests the investigation is awaiting completion.

facing an inquiry

Indicates that an official inquiry is taking place.

as the investigation proceeds

Emphasizes the progress of the investigation.

with an investigation ongoing

Highlights that the investigation is currently in progress.

FAQs

How can I use "while under investigation" in a sentence?

Use "while under investigation" to show that an action occurs concurrently with an ongoing inquiry. For example, "The CEO resigned "while under investigation" for fraud."

What are some alternatives to "while under investigation"?

You can use alternatives like "during the investigation", "subject to investigation", or "being investigated" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "during investigation" instead of "while under investigation"?

While "during investigation" might be understood, ""while under investigation"" is more grammatically correct and commonly used in formal writing to indicate the simultaneous nature of events.

What is the difference between "under investigation" and "while under investigation"?

"Under investigation" describes the state of being investigated. "While under investigation" specifies that something else happened during that state, indicating a concurrent timeline.