a poor proxy for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a poor proxy for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is an inadequate or insufficient substitute for something else. Example: "Using social media likes as a measure of success is a poor proxy for actual engagement with the audience."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But income alone is a poor proxy for social class.

The New York Times

Self-confidence is a poor proxy for competence.

Harvard Business Review

Current employment status serves as a poor proxy for successful job performance".

The New York Times

(The tax on the most expensive plans is a poor proxy for such necessary reform).

The Economist

The editorial cites studies suggesting that income is a poor proxy for race, which is true.

The New York Times

Thus, actual sales are a poor proxy for the ideal explanatory variable, predicted sales, leading to measurement error.

Harvard University

The large number of bytes being shifted by Netflix is a poor proxy for that detailed picture.

The Guardian - Tech

They have provided a poor proxy for the economy for investors keen to take a stake in China's rise.

The Economist

Educational qualifications may be relatively easy to measure, but offer only a poor proxy for human capital.

The Economist

Through this work we hope to understand where GDP is a poor proxy for a region's quality of life or its social progress".

The Guardian

The number of times a paper is cited is a poor proxy for its impact (see P. Stephan et al. Nature 544, 411 412; 2017).

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "a poor proxy for", clearly articulate why the chosen proxy is inadequate and what factors make it unreliable. Providing specific examples strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because something is "a poor proxy for" something else, there's no relationship at all. Instead, acknowledge the limitations while exploring potential indirect connections or influences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a poor proxy for" functions as a qualifier that indicates something is an inadequate or unreliable substitute. It's used to express that one measure or indicator is not a good representation of another, as supported by the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a poor proxy for" is a frequently used phrase that expresses the inadequacy of one thing to accurately represent another. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly found in scientific, news, and formal business contexts. When employing this phrase, it is beneficial to clearly articulate the reasons for the proxy's inadequacy. While "a poor proxy for" indicates a weak relationship, it does not negate the possibility of indirect connections. Therefore, remember to use it to warn against the misleading conclusions, with sources like The New York Times and The Economist as primary examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an inadequate substitute for

Highlights the insufficiency of the substitute in fulfilling the role of the original.

a weak indicator of

Emphasizes that the item provides unreliable information about what it's supposed to represent.

a flawed representation of

Focuses on the imperfections and inaccuracies in how something is depicted.

an unreliable measure of

Stresses the untrustworthiness of using something as a gauge or standard.

a misleading gauge of

Highlights the potential for misinterpretation when using something as a measuring tool.

not a good reflection of

Indicates that the item does not accurately mirror or represent the original.

a deficient stand-in for

Emphasizes the shortcomings and lack of qualifications of the substitute.

an ineffective gauge for

Highlights how the gauge does not provide the proper measurement for something.

a questionable surrogate for

Indicates that using the surrogate is dubious because it may not provide proper results.

an imperfect substitute to

Emphasizes the idea that a substitute will never be perfect.

FAQs

How can I use "a poor proxy for" in a sentence?

You can use "a poor proxy for" to indicate that one thing is not a good substitute or measure of another. For example, "Income is "a poor proxy for" social class".

What are some alternatives to saying "a poor proxy for"?

Alternatives include "an inadequate substitute for", "a weak indicator of", or "a flawed representation of", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "poor proxy for" or "bad proxy for"?

Both "poor proxy for" and "bad proxy for" are acceptable, but "poor proxy for" is generally considered more formal and frequently used in academic and professional contexts.

Why is something considered "a poor proxy for" something else?

Something is considered "a poor proxy for" something else when it doesn't accurately reflect or measure the intended concept due to limitations, inaccuracies, or indirect relationships. This can lead to misleading conclusions if relied upon too heavily.