at the sake of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at the sake of" is not correct in English; the correct expression is "at the sake of" should be "at the expense of." You can use it when discussing a situation where one thing is sacrificed for the benefit of another.
Example: "He chose to pursue his career at the expense of his personal relationships."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

"For a company that has arranged its structure to pay minimal tax in our market, to now see YouTube's treatment of independent Australian labels who provide so much of its Australian music content so as to further improve their profitability at the sake of local content creators is deeply concerning," said David Vodicka from AIR in Australia.

The Guardian - Tech

As long as consistency isn't sought after at the sake of ease of use, Google's design tweaks are welcome.

TechCrunch

Russell says that even so, it didn't approach the problem from the angle of optimizing for cost efficiency at the sake of performance, as some competitors have done.

TechCrunch

–"protect me within the rules of the law" –"investigating terrorist threats at the sake of privacy is fine as long as the information isn't used for any other purpose and the focus is on terrorism and not anything else".

TechCrunch

Here is a comment from one respondent in our July survey: "investigating terrorist threats at the sake of privacy is fine as long as the information isn't used for any other purpose and the focus is on terrorism and not anything else".

TechCrunch

But when will we stop punishing Brown for his past -- and, furthermore, revictimizing Rihanna at the sake of taking him down?

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

This marks a dramatic shift from the not-at-all-made-up-for-the-sake-of-trend-pieces styles of yesteryear.

Vice

Friday was nice, but Saturday mornings I woke up and, gosh, just stayed at home for the sake of being at home in case the children needed food or.

BMC Family Practice

Because roughing it at night for the sake of it, he said, "isn't cool; it's annoying".

The New York Times - Travel

It would be fine if two actors just went at it, for the sake of pure theatrics.

The New York Times

It was not worth putting so many jobs at risk for the sake of appeasing the Eurosceptics in the Conservative Party, who are mostly unappeasable in any case.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct idiom "at the expense of" instead of "at the sake of" to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "at the sake of". The correct phrase is "at the expense of". Using the incorrect phrase can make your writing appear unprofessional and confuse your reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at the sake of" functions as a prepositional phrase, but it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI highlights that the correct expression is "at the expense of". Its intended function is to indicate that something is done or achieved at a certain cost or sacrifice.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "at the sake of" appears in some sources, it's grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI suggests using "at the expense of" instead, which accurately conveys the intended meaning of achieving something at a cost or sacrifice. Sticking to correct grammar enhances clarity and professionalism in writing. While examples exist, rely on authoritative sources and established idioms to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the expense of

Uses a more standard and grammatically correct preposition.

at the cost of

Emphasizes the sacrifice or loss involved.

to the detriment of

Highlights the negative impact or harm caused.

at the price of

Suggests a deliberate trade-off where something valuable is given up.

in exchange for sacrificing

More explicitly describes a sacrifice made to gain something else.

by sacrificing

Focuses on the action of giving up something.

to the sacrifice of

Emphasizes the act of sacrificing.

at the loss of

Focuses on the negative effect instead of benefit.

to compromise

This phrase implies a willingness to accept less than ideal outcomes in order to reach an agreement or achieve a goal.

compromising

This indicates that something is being risked or potentially damaged in pursuit of another objective.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "at the sake of"?

The correct idiom is "at the expense of". It means that something is achieved by sacrificing something else.

What does "at the expense of" mean?

The phrase "at the expense of" means that something is gained, achieved, or enjoyed, but only by losing or harming something else. It highlights a trade-off.

Can I use "at the sake of" in formal writing?

No, "at the sake of" is not a correct or accepted phrase in English. Use "at the expense of" instead, especially in formal contexts.

What are some alternatives to "at the expense of"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "to the detriment of", "at the cost of", or "by sacrificing".