at their hands

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at their hands" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something is done by someone or that someone is responsible for an action or outcome. Example: "The consequences of their actions were severe, and they would ultimately have to face the repercussions at their hands."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

I always look at their hands.

Independent

Suffers a sad defeat at their hands.

The New Yorker

"With all of the taxpayer money at their hands, they failed to do that".

The New York Times

More than ten people have allegedly died at their hands since December.

The Economist

All looked at their hands or the ground as they spoke.

The Guardian

If not, maybe we'll deserve our thermonuclear destruction at their hands.

The Guardian - Books

His most spectacular defeat at their hands was pledging a referendum on EU membership.

The Guardian - Opinion

Last year more than 1,000 people in the state died at their hands, a 250% rise over 2002.

The Economist

But at the end, as the lights dim, the dancers sit down, bow their heads, and stare at their hands.

The New Yorker

Others stared at their hands, at their shoes or at nothing in particular, just not up at Mr. Kearse.

The New York Times

The successive disembowelments at their hands, claws and slavering maws train you until you become hunter rather than hunted.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at their hands" to clearly indicate responsibility for an action or outcome, particularly when the action has a significant impact or consequence. It's a concise way to attribute causality.

Common error

Avoid using "at their hands" when the connection between the actor and the outcome is tenuous or unclear. Ensure there's a direct and demonstrable link between the actions of the individual or group and the result you're describing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at their hands" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate the agent or cause of an action. Ludwig examples show it attributing responsibility, often for negative outcomes. This reinforces its function in assigning agency.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at their hands" is a prepositional phrase widely used to attribute responsibility for an action or outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and frequently appears in news, encyclopedias, and wiki contexts, with a neutral register. It's important to ensure a clear connection between the actor and outcome when using this phrase to avoid misattributions. Alternatives like "by their actions" or "through their doing" can offer nuanced ways to express similar concepts. Overall, "at their hands" is a versatile and effective way to assign agency in various writing contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the hands of

This construction emphasizes the passive recipient of actions, often in a negative context.

through their actions

Emphasizes the specific deeds and behaviors that led to a particular outcome.

because of their involvement

Underscores their participation and its subsequent effect on an event or situation.

by their agency

Focuses on the active involvement and instrumentality of the individuals.

as a result of their doing

Highlights the causality between their actions and the consequence.

by means of their action

This option focuses on the way or method used to achieve a certain consequence.

due to their influence

Suggests that the outcome was a consequence of their sway or power.

through their instrumentality

This phrase indicates that something was achieved or caused by the use of a particular person or thing as a means or tool.

owing to their intervention

Implies that their active participation or interference led to a particular result.

with their contribution

This implies a causal connection through active participation that moves the overall goal forward.

FAQs

How can I use "at their hands" in a sentence?

The phrase "at their hands" is used to indicate that someone suffered or experienced something as a result of another person's actions. For example: "Many people died "at their hands" during the war."

What are some alternatives to "at their hands"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "by their actions", "through their doing", or "as a result of their influence" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it always negative when something happens "at their hands"?

While often used in negative contexts to describe suffering or harm, "at their hands" can also be used neutrally or even positively, although this is less common. The connotation largely depends on the action being described.

What's the difference between "at their hands" and "by their hands"?

The phrases "at their hands" and "by their hands" are nearly synonymous, with "at their hands" being the more common and idiomatic expression when describing suffering or consequences inflicted by someone. "By their hands" is grammatically correct but less frequently used in this specific context.