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Is there any phrase like "with the idea of"

with the idea of reducing the complexities, we introduce an added smoothing step.

I was googling to find example usages, but couldn't. so please any one give some alternatives if this phrase is not valid.

some synonim phrases are also welcome to learn. thanks

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There's nothing wrong with with the idea of but you could also use in the name of or with the aim of. With a little reformulating you can say things like in order to or so that we can – Jim Nov 21 '12 at 20:31
I'm curious as to what Google queries you ran when you tried to find examples (that might save me from making the same fruitless searches). Also, given that this is a site for serious language enthusiasts, while you're amending your question, you might want to use proper capitalization, too, and maybe even copy-and-paste your question into some application that will do some spell checking for you. – J.R. Nov 21 '12 at 20:32
@J.R.: nothing special... simply by typing in Google " usage of with the idea of". – gnp Nov 21 '12 at 20:50
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To reduce the complexities, we introduce an added smoothing step. If you're not certain that this will work, use hedging: In an attempt to reduce the complexities, we introduce an added smoothing step. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 21 '12 at 21:46
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@Edwin Ashworth: I think you're right - plain "to" is by far the best alternative. Anything else is just pointless verbal padding. – FumbleFingers Nov 21 '12 at 22:09
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2 Answers

up vote 2 down vote

You could say:

With an eye toward reducing complexities, we added a smoothing step.

In this case, with an eye toward means "for the purposes of."

Merriam-Webster defines "with an eye toward" or "with an eye to" as:

  1. with awareness or contemplation of - with an eye to the future
  2. with the object of - built the house with an eye to adding on later

Here are a couple of links showing the phrase being used:

Prizes With an Eye Toward the Future

Documenting Social Ills With an Eye Toward Advocacy

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I suppose you are looking for familiar as opposed to contrived phrases...

  • with the view to

  • after a fashion...

  • with similar purpose as/of

  • accordingly as

  • (and such depending...)

Is it just that you are trying to avoid phrase repetition? Just curious.

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of course, i want to avoid repetition too – gnp Nov 21 '12 at 20:48
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Apart from with the view to (which in fact is invariably with a view to), I don't think any of these alternatives could be used in OP's context. In fact, I think most of them couldn't be used in any context, since they're not "standard English". – FumbleFingers Nov 21 '12 at 22:05
@Fumble: Bravo, your comment is clearer than mine (ungrits teeth). – TimLymington Nov 21 '12 at 22:07
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@TimLymington: The daft thing is I would have upvoted this one when I read the first suggestion (and leave a comment pointing out that "a" is more common than "the"). But the baby went out with the bathwater, I'm afraid. – FumbleFingers Nov 21 '12 at 22:14
@FumbleFingers: ha haa..didnt get ur last saying – gnp Nov 21 '12 at 22:36
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