despite their work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite their work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs or is true regardless of the efforts or contributions made by a group of people. Example: "Despite their work on the project, the team did not receive the recognition they deserved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This is despite their work coming with considerable risks to patients.

The Guardian

Humanitarian workers are also staying in situ for longer in countries such as Chad and Central African Republic, despite their work being defined as "short-term in nature".

The Guardian

Despite their work at the meetings, Hahn said the Sox are still much closer to the beginning of the process than the end.

Los Angeles Times

A utility pipe runs just outside their home, but despite their work ethic, saving enough money to afford a household connection is difficult - it costs three months of their combined income.  .

Huffington Post

To the best of our knowledge, there is no published study of flow among health care staff, despite their work being described as challenging and in need of highly skilled practitioners [ 20, 21].

BMC Nursing

They also felt that adherence counsellors and nurses did not assist them but rather complicated their daily tasks by, for example, requiring them to attend the clinic despite their work being based in the community: "... it could be that you are in the same area as your next patient but you do not know that because they [the clinic staff] do not call you.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Despite their working together, the Americans had remained wary of Temour — and he learned the hard way that he could not trust them.

Los Angeles Times

It would be quite funny if someone else from the peloton pooped Cannondale's party, despite all their work.

The Guardian - Sport

Despite all their work, Moeller told me, "We only manage to save around 50percentt of the turtle eggs each season.

Vice

Considering their hard environment and general lack of resources, physicians were keen to exhibit good technical skills, with many staff displaying high dedication to their work despite poor working conditions.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

And those who have worked for decades to end this conflict are understandably frustrated that it continues to fester despite their hard work.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "despite their work", ensure the sentence clearly contrasts the effort exerted with the actual outcome or situation. This strengthens the emphasis on the unexpected result.

Common error

Avoid using "despite their work" when the work actually contributes to the expected outcome. The phrase is meant to highlight a contrast, not a causal relationship.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite their work" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically used to introduce a contrasting element or situation. It indicates that something occurs or is true, regardless of the efforts or contributions made. As Ludwig AI explains, this usage is correct and verifiable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite their work" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to highlight a contrast between effort and outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s versatile and can be used across various contexts. The phrase indicates that a situation exists or occurs independently of the work done. While it is commonly found in news and scientific sources, its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication. When using this phrase, ensure that you're emphasizing an unexpected or contradictory situation, rather than a direct result of the work itself.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of their efforts

Replaces "despite" with "in spite of", maintaining the same meaning of something happening regardless of effort.

regardless of their contributions

Emphasizes that something happens without considering the work or input provided.

notwithstanding their work

Uses "notwithstanding" as a more formal substitute for "despite", indicating something is true regardless of the stated work.

irrespective of their labor

A more formal alternative, indicating something is not affected by their work.

with all their work considered

Similar to "even with their work", but slightly more emphatic in recognizing the work.

even with their work

Highlights that even considering their work, a particular situation still exists.

for all their efforts

Indicates that despite all the efforts made, the outcome remains unchanged.

although they worked on it

Explicitly mentions the work done, contrasting it with the outcome.

even if they exerted effort

Focuses on the exertion of effort, despite which something else occurs.

in defiance of their work

Implies a stronger sense of contradiction or opposition to the work done.

FAQs

How can I use "despite their work" in a sentence?

Use "despite their work" to introduce a situation or outcome that exists or occurs even though a group of people has put in effort, for example, "Despite their work on the project, the team did not receive the recognition they deserved."

What phrases are similar to "despite their work"?

Alternatives include "in spite of their efforts", "notwithstanding their work", or "regardless of their contributions" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to specify whose work you're referring to when using "despite their work"?

While it's not always grammatically required, specifying whose work you're referring to provides clarity and context to your statement, making it easier for the reader to understand the intended contrast.

What's the difference between "despite their work" and "because of their work"?

"Despite their work" indicates that something happens in spite of the effort, whereas "because of their work" indicates that something happens as a direct result of the effort. They have opposite meanings.