GRAMMAR DETAIL
ともすれば〜
Indicates that a person's thinking or a situation is liable to drift in an undesirable direction if care is not taken.
Examples
効率だけを求める議論は、ともすれば弱い立場の声を見落としがちだ。
Discussions focused solely on efficiency are liable to overlook the voices of those in vulnerable positions.
Words used
人はともすれば失敗を恐れて挑戦を避ける。
People are liable to avoid challenges out of fear of failure.
Words used
長い会議では、ともすれば目的を見失いがちだ。
In a long meeting, it is easy to lose sight of the objective.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
ともすればis an adverb meaning ‘one can easily slip into,’ used for a tendency toward an undesirable outcome. - Basic usage:
長い会議では、ともすれば目的を見失いがちだ。means that it is easy to lose sight of the purpose during a long meeting.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Combining with がちだ
ともすればhighlights the risk of slipping into an undesirable pattern, whileがちだemphasizes the tendency, so they can occur together. The focus is on a recurring pattern rather than the single event reported by目的を見失った.