as a proxy

USAGE SUMMARY

"as a proxy" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It can be used in various contexts to refer to something or someone that represents or stands in for something else. Example: "As a proxy for the company's CEO, I will be attending the meeting tomorrow." In this sentence, the speaker is indicating that they will be representing or acting on behalf of the company's CEO in the meeting. Another example: "The use of a thermometer as a proxy for body temperature is a common practice in medicine." In this sentence, the term "proxy" is used to describe how a thermometer is used as a substitute or stand-in for measuring body temperature.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What counts as a proxy contest?

Harvard University

The Gotovina case has served as a proxy trial.

The Guardian

The study used arrest records as a proxy for convictions.

The New York Times

An airline levy is mooted as a proxy for privilege.

The Guardian

It's using race as a proxy for crime".

The New Yorker

It can also serve as a proxy server.

Stanford University

Most people use reputation as a proxy for integrity.

Harvard Business Review

The fMRI readings served as a proxy for neuron firing.

University of California, Berkeley

The GI-AA was used as a proxy for GCRs.

Advances in Space Research

Turbidity is usually used as a proxy for suspended matter.

Journal of Hydrology

as a proxy for droughts and their related economic stresses.

Dendrochronologia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a proxy" when you want to clearly indicate that one thing is being used to represent something else, especially when direct measurement isn't possible or practical. For example, "Use test scores as a proxy for student understanding."

Common error

Don't use "as a proxy" if you can measure the target variable directly. If you have direct access to the data, using a proxy can introduce unnecessary error and weaken your analysis. For instance, avoid using 'years of experience as a proxy for skill level' if you can directly assess skill through performance metrics.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a proxy" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating that something is being used to represent something else. Ludwig AI confirms this is a common and correct usage. For instance, "Wheat yield was used as a proxy for land quality."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

51%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a proxy" is a prepositional phrase used to indicate that one thing is being used to represent another, usually when direct measurement is difficult. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and commonly used. It's particularly frequent in scientific and analytical contexts across news media, formal business, and scientific literature. When writing, ensure you're not using it when direct measurement is feasible and be aware of the limitations of using a proxy measure. Consider alternatives like "in lieu of" or "as a substitute for" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

serving as

Emphasizes the role or function of being a proxy.

acting as

Focuses on the action of representing something else.

as a substitute for

This phrase directly implies replacing one thing with another.

as a stand-in for

Directly conveys the idea of temporarily replacing someone or something.

as a surrogate for

Highlights the idea of substitution, often in a formal context.

in lieu of

This alternative suggests something is being done or used instead of something else.

in place of

Similar to "in lieu of", indicating replacement.

representing

Focuses on the act of standing in for someone or something.

instead of

Indicates a direct replacement or alternative.

on behalf of

Highlights acting for or representing another entity.

FAQs

How can I use "as a proxy" in a sentence?

Use "as a proxy" to indicate that one measure is being used to represent another, often unmeasurable, concept. For example, "We used GDP growth "as a proxy" for economic well-being".

What can I say instead of "as a proxy"?

You can use alternatives like "in lieu of", "as a substitute for", or "representing" depending on the context.

Is it always accurate to use something "as a proxy"?

Using something "as a proxy" involves inherent limitations because the proxy measure is not the actual variable of interest. Be aware of these limitations and clearly state them in your analysis. For example "While imperfect, we used social media engagement "as a proxy" for brand awareness."

What's the difference between ""as a proxy"" and "as an indicator"?

"As a proxy" suggests a stand-in for something difficult to measure directly, while "as an indicator" means something that points to a trend or condition. A proxy represents, an indicator suggests. For example, test scores might be used "as a proxy" for student learning, while attendance can be used as an indicator of student engagement.