"Is under consideration" means that something is being actively thought about, discussed, and evaluated as a possible course of action or decision. It implies that a decision has not yet been made, but the matter is receiving attention.
The meaning is semi-idiomatic. While the individual words have their own meanings, the phrase as a whole conveys a specific sense of formal evaluation that isn't immediately obvious from the parts alone.
The register is generally neutral to formal. It's suitable for business, academic, and journalistic contexts, but might sound overly formal in casual conversation.
The grammatical pattern is: is/are (verb) + under (adjective) + consideration (noun). This functions as a passive construction. The subject of the sentence is the thing being considered.
Typically, the phrase stands alone as a complete thought, indicating the status of something. It doesn't usually take further objects or prepositions immediately after "consideration." However, it can be followed by clauses explaining why something is under consideration.
The components cannot be separated. "Under consideration" functions as a unit modifying the verb "is/are."
Using a different verb (e.g., "is having consideration") or a different preposition (e.g., "is in consideration") sounds unnatural. Also, directly objectifying "consideration" is incorrect; you cannot "give consideration to something", that requires the verb "give".
These examples are sourced from is under consideration on Ludwig.guru.
"One request is under consideration." — The Guardian
"The idea, apparently, is under consideration." — The Guardian - Business
"A similar bill is under consideration in the Senate." — The New York Times
"The Justice Department says Mr. Schumer's request is under consideration." — The New York Times
"A cap-and-trade system is already operating in Europe and is under consideration by Congress." — The New York Times - Science
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/is+under+consideration
Depending on the level of formality or the specific situation, you might want to vary your language.
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| being considered | More direct and slightly less formal. |
| under review | Suggests a formal assessment process. |
| being evaluated | Emphasizes the assessment aspect. |
| being assessed | Similar to "being evaluated," but can imply a more quantitative approach. |
| up for discussion | More informal, implies a conversational setting. |
| in the pipeline | Suggests something is planned and progressing, but not yet finalized. |
| pending approval | Indicates that approval is needed before it can proceed further. |
| Expression | Meaning | Grammatical Pattern | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| is under consideration | Being actively thought about and evaluated | is/are + under + consideration | Neutral to Formal |
No, the phrase "is under consideration" functions as a fixed unit. You cannot insert words between "under" and "consideration" without changing the meaning or making the sentence grammatically incorrect. It must remain intact to convey its intended meaning.
"Is under consideration" describes the state of something being evaluated, whereas "take into consideration" describes the action of evaluating something. For example, "The proposal is under consideration" means it's being evaluated. "The committee will take the proposal into consideration" means the committee will evaluate it.
The correct preposition is "under." Using "in consideration" is a common mistake. Remember that the phrase is "is under consideration," meaning something is currently being thought about and evaluated. "In consideration" is not a standard English idiom in this context.
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