by barter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'by barter' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a type of exchange, in which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without the use of money. For example: "The two men made a deal to exchange their services by barter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Most trade is conducted by barter.

The Economist

(Salt and olive oil were got by barter from relatives in the South).

The New Yorker

Before that, shopping was still done by barter, with each party expecting to be cheated.

The New Yorker

Many live by barter and cannot scrape together even $2 in coins, said Dr. Damas Dukundane, who works in a poor rural area.

The New York Times

Belarus continued to trade by barter rather than money, and the currency was in a free fall against the U.S. dollar.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In many parts of the country, especially in the rural areas, the necessities of life are procured by barter rather than by purchase.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Instead, she hung pieces obtained by bartering with other artists.

The New York Times

Mr. Campbell has amassed his own collection over the years, largely by bartering tattoos in exchange for art.

The New York Times

I decided to try my own skills of negotiation, by bartering at a site called Hagglezone.com (hagglezone).

The New York Times - Tech

The Boston Consulting Group cites the case of a car firm which is settling nine-tenths of its bills this year by bartering finished vehicles.

The Economist

North Koreans have survived by bartering, smuggling and selling anything they can lay their hands on.In this section The beginning or the end?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing historical economic systems or situations where currency is scarce, use "by barter" to clearly indicate direct exchange of goods or services.

Common error

Ensure that when you use "by barter", the exchange involves a direct swap without assigning monetary value. If prices are discussed or money is involved, it's a trade, not a barter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by barter" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate the method of exchange. As Ludwig AI explains, this highlights direct exchange of goods or services without monetary involvement.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Encyclopedias

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Science

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by barter" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to describe direct exchanges of goods or services without the use of money. According to Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English, commonly found in news, encyclopedias, and formal business contexts. Although not as frequent as other expressions, "by barter" precisely conveys a specific form of transaction, especially in scenarios where currency is not involved. When you want to describe trading items without money, "by barter" is your go-to phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

trading directly

Simplifies the concept to the direct action of trading.

through trade

Focuses on the act of trading, emphasizing the method of exchange.

goods for goods

Highlights that is about the exchange of items between each other without the use of cash.

services for services

Highlights that is about the exchange of work/skills between each other without the use of cash.

in exchange for goods

Highlights the reciprocal nature of the exchange, specifying what is received.

through direct compensation

Highlights compensation is performed between each other but it's not using money.

through reciprocal exchange

Stresses the mutual benefit and give-and-take aspect of the transaction.

in a non-monetary transaction

Focuses on the absence of monetary payment in the transaction.

via in-kind exchange

Uses more formal language to describe a non-monetary transaction.

using a trade system

Emphasizes the existence of a structured system for exchanging goods or services.

FAQs

How can I use "by barter" in a sentence?

Use "by barter" to describe situations where goods or services are exchanged directly without money. For example, "In the absence of currency, the villagers survived "by barter"."

What's a simple way to explain what "by barter" means?

"By barter" means exchanging goods or services directly for other goods or services, instead of using money. It's like saying "I'll give you this, and you give me that".

Is it correct to say "trade by barter"?

While "trade by barter" isn't incorrect, it can be redundant. "Barter" itself implies trade. A more concise way to say it is simply ""by barter"".

What are some modern examples of trading "by barter"?

Modern examples include skill-sharing communities where people offer services like tutoring or web design "by barter", or online platforms where businesses exchange goods and services instead of using cash.