at people

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'at people' is not correct or usable in written English.
You cannot use it by itself; you must use it as part of a larger phrase or sentence. For example, you could use it in the phrase "angry at people": "He felt angry at people who mistreated animals".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

at people.

The New Yorker

He screams at people.

The New Yorker

"I just pointed at people.

The New York Times

"Then he yells at people.

The New York Times

Dodd-Frank is not directed at people.

The Economist

I look at people with disabilities personally.

The New York Times

Do you shake it at people?

The New York Times

I love looking at people in profile.

The New Yorker

I love to look at people.

The New Yorker

They are now looking at people.

The Economist

"Who shot at people in Dara'a?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "at" in conjunction with a verb or adjective to properly convey the intended meaning, such as "look at people", "shout at people", or "angry at people".

Common error

Avoid using "at people" in isolation. It requires a preceding verb or adjective to make grammatical sense. For example, saying just "at people" is not grammatically correct. Complete the phrase such as "He yelled at people".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at people" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase, requiring a preceding verb or adjective to form a complete thought. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase alone is not grammatically correct, needing context to make sense.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Wiki

33%

News & Media

31%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "at people" appears frequently in various contexts, Ludwig AI emphasizes it's grammatically incomplete on its own. It needs a preceding verb (e.g., "look", "shout") or adjective (e.g., "angry") to make sense. Its usage spans from neutral news reports to informal wikis, but it's crucial to complete the phrase for grammatical accuracy. Always pair "at people" with a verb or adjective to clearly convey your intended meaning. Common correct examples are "smile at people" or "yell at people".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

towards people

Uses a different preposition to indicate direction or orientation toward individuals.

directed at people

Specifies that something is aimed or focused on people.

aimed at people

Similar to "directed at people", emphasizing the targeting aspect.

to people

A simpler preposition indicating giving or addressing someone.

against people

Indicates opposition or hostility towards people.

in relation to people

Expresses how something connects or applies to people.

concerning people

Refers to matters or topics about people.

regarding people

Similar to "concerning people", denoting relevance to people.

involving people

Indicates that people are participating or affected.

affecting people

Highlights the impact or influence on people.

FAQs

How to correctly use the words "at people" in a sentence?

The phrase "at people" needs a verb or adjective to be grammatically correct. For instance, you can say "look "look at people"", "smile "smile at people"", or "angry "angry at people"".

What are some alternatives to expressing actions directed "at people"?

Instead of saying actions are "at people", you could say they are directed "towards people", "against people", or simply "to people", depending on the context. Consider phrases like "actions directed "directed towards people"" or "efforts aimed "aimed at people"".

Is it grammatically correct to use "at people" by itself?

No, "at people" is not grammatically correct on its own. It always needs a verb or adjective to complete the meaning. Saying just "at people" is a fragment and needs a verb like "stare", "yell", or an adjective like "mad".

What's the difference between "at people" and "to people"?

"At people" typically indicates direction of an action or emotion (e.g., shout at people), while "to people" often implies giving or addressing (e.g., giving advice to people). The choice depends on the intended meaning and the verb being used.