ともすれば

apt to, tend to, liable to, prone to

AI-generated

Structure

ともすれば + [sentence]

Description

ともすれば is an adverb meaning "apt to", "liable to": left alone, things easily slide in a direction, usually a bad one. It goes before the clause it qualifies, and that clause usually ends in がちだ, やすい or てしまう.

、。

Let's review the basics, which we are apt to forget.

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People are prone to taking the easy way out.

、。

In our busy lives, we are prone to forgetting what really matters.

The tendency is one to watch out for – forgetting, neglecting, getting emotional – so the sentence often carries a warning. A good tendency does not take ともすれば.

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This discussion tends to stray from the main topic.

ともすると and ややもすれば

means the same and is interchangeable. and are the same again, a shade more literary.

、。

We tend to become pessimistic, but let's think positively.

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Young people are liable to get swept along by trends.

All four belong to writing, editorials and formal speech. In conversation, つい with きごう〜てしまう or a plain きごう〜がち does the same work: ついわすれちゃう忘れちゃう.

Examples

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We should turn our attention to problems that are apt to be overlooked.

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Modern people tend to take their health lightly.

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He is prone to becoming emotional.

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Since we are liable to become self-centered, we must also think about those around us.

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Children are apt to get involved in dangerous play.

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In our busy daily lives, we are prone to forgetting what is truly important.

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This discussion tends to stray from the main topic.

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New technology is liable to be misused.

、。

His role is to bring together the two sides that are apt to clash.

、。

In the pursuit of efficiency, personal relationships are prone to being neglected.

ともあろう

とも～とも