asked for outside help

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "asked for outside help" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a situation where someone seeks assistance or support from external sources or individuals. Example: "After struggling with the project for weeks, the team finally asked for outside help to meet the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

After a few days, China asked for outside help.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The opposition has not asked for outside help.

The New York Times

Twitter on Thursday announced plans to take a more critical look at its dark side and asked for outside help to develop ways that it can elevate the tone of online conversation.

The Washington Post

The street value of the recent cocaine seizures was each the equivalent of more than 10% of Guinea-Bissau's annual GDP, so the allure of the drugs trade is understandable.The government has belatedly asked for outside help and has set up an anti-drugs commission to look into allegations of complicity by politicians and officials.

The Economist

One French carmaker recently asked for outside help to devise a plan to secure liquidity in the event of a euro-zone break-up.Mr Frantz, whose 87-year old firm, Frantz Electrolyse, is a key supplier to Peugeot and Renault, France's two big car manufacturers, says banks have not lent to companies like his since 2008.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The United States, which has a much larger economy and borrows from abroad in its own currency, hasn't had to ask for outside help.

The New York Times

We need your help in rebuilding a middle class in this country so that people can find jobs, feed their families and look after themselves without asking for outside help.

The New York Times

Asking for outside help was an admission that maybe I wasn't as good a salesman as I had thought and that maybe our process wasn't so great either.

The New York Times

What he didn't say was that the government asking for outside help was brand new, the product of a coup last year that toppled a deeply corrupt regime propped up by Western states.

The New York Times

Other parents, though, think adoptive parents should be prosecuted along with the kidnappers.Help from outsidersThe hitherto undemonstrative authorities now consider kidnapping to be a serious enough problem to warrant asking for outside help—not something that comes naturally to Chinese officialdom.

The Economist

Nahum Barnea, one of Israel's most prominent columnists and no fan of Mr. Netanyahu, said in the newspaper Yediot Aharonot on Sunday that the decision to ask for outside help "was a very smart decision, a game-changing decision," and that Mr. Netanyahu "deserves full praise for making it".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "asked for outside help", ensure that the context clearly identifies who is asking and what kind of help is being requested for clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid phrasing sentences involving "asked for outside help" in the passive voice, as it can obscure who initiated the request. For example, instead of "Outside help was asked for", use "They asked for outside help" to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "asked for outside help" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of seeking assistance from external entities. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English, serving to communicate a need for external support.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "asked for outside help" is a grammatically correct and commonly understood expression used to indicate that someone has requested assistance from external sources. Ludwig confirms its usability in various contexts. Its function is primarily to convey the action of seeking external aid, often for problem-solving or expertise. The phrase is considered to have a neutral register, making it suitable for both formal and informal communication. Common alternatives include "sought external assistance" and "requested external support". While direct, ensure the context clarifies who is asking and the nature of the help needed for maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sought help from external sources

Rephrases "outside help" as "help from external sources", maintaining similar meaning with slightly different structure.

sought external assistance

Replaces "asked" with "sought" and "outside help" with "external assistance", emphasizing a more formal tone.

requested external support

Substitutes "help" with "support", highlighting the need for aid from external entities.

requested aid from external entities

Replaces "help" with "aid" and emphasizes that the assistance is coming from external entities.

enlisted external aid

Replaces "asked" with "enlisted" and "help" with "aid", suggesting a more active effort to obtain assistance.

reached out for external support

Replaces "asked" with "reached out", indicating a proactive approach to seeking assistance.

appealed for external assistance

Uses "appealed" instead of "asked", indicating a more urgent or formal request for help.

solicited assistance from external parties

Uses "solicited" for "asked", suggesting a formal request, and specifies that the help is from external parties.

consulted external experts

Focuses on seeking advice or expertise from external sources rather than general help.

engaged external consultants

Emphasizes the hiring of outside consultants for specific expertise or assistance.

FAQs

How can I use "asked for outside help" in a sentence?

You can use "asked for outside help" in a sentence to indicate that someone or a group sought assistance from external sources. For example: "The company "asked for outside help" when they faced a critical system failure."

What can I say instead of "asked for outside help"?

You can use alternatives like "sought external assistance", "requested external support", or "enlisted external aid" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "asked for outside help" or "asked outside for help"?

"Asked for outside help" is the correct and more common phrasing. "Asked outside for help" is grammatically awkward and less idiomatic. Therefore, use ""asked for outside help"".

What's the difference between "asked for outside help" and "received outside help"?

"Asked for outside help" indicates the act of requesting assistance, while "received outside help" implies that the assistance was successfully obtained. One describes the action, and the other describes the result of that action.