discriminated on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "discriminated on" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct usage would typically be "discriminated against." Example: "She felt that she was discriminated against because of her gender."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The morphological characteristics of Hypnomys and Eliomys were less discriminated on the third discriminant axis.

Plosone

In Experiment 2, two types of fish could be discriminated on the basis of either of two distinguishing features, one more visually discriminable than the other.

Cognition

These authors showed that in the crustacean Daphnia magna different substances belonging to one chemical class (metals) can be discriminated on the basis of their characteristic expression profiles.

BMC Genomics

Whether social origin of eggs and workers could be discriminated on the basis of their chemical profiles was tested using two linear discriminant analyses (DA).

Plosone

"We never discriminated on the basis of race," he said.

The New York Times

I've only ever discriminated on the basis of behavior.

The New York Times

He also committed to amend laws that discriminated on the grounds of sexuality.

The Guardian

How could the Sun defend page 3 from the charge that it discriminated on grounds of sex?

The Guardian - Opinion

And like other American institutions, many universities discriminated on the basis of race and religion, behavior that is illegal now.

The New York Times

A federal judge agreed, finding on July 21st that Quinnipiac had discriminated on the basis of sex.

The Economist

On Tuesday, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said there was reasonable cause to believe the county's move "unlawfully discriminated on the basis of gender".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "discriminated against" instead of "discriminated on" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. For example, write 'The candidate felt he was discriminated against because of his age' instead of using the incorrect phrase.

Common error

A frequent error is using "discriminated on", which is not standard English. To avoid this mistake, remember that discrimination is typically directed toward someone or something, hence the correct preposition is 'against'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "discriminated on" functions as a passive verb construction, where someone or something is described as being the recipient of discriminatory actions. However, this is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates the correct usage is "discriminated against."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

42%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "discriminated on" is frequently used, as shown by Ludwig, but is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct and widely accepted phrasing is "discriminated against". Ludwig AI highlights that while the intent is to express unfair treatment based on certain characteristics, the incorrect preposition undermines the clarity and professionalism of the statement. Despite its common occurrence in diverse contexts such as news, science, and formal documents, it's crucial to replace "discriminated on" with "discriminated against" to ensure accuracy and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

faced discrimination based on

This alternative directly states that someone experienced discrimination due to a specific reason.

subjected to discrimination because of

This expresses that someone was made to experience discrimination due to a particular factor.

treated unfairly due to

This focuses on the unequal treatment experienced because of a specific attribute or characteristic.

denied opportunities based on

This highlights the denial of chances or advantages as a result of discrimination.

marginalized due to

This suggests being pushed to the edges of society or a group because of discrimination.

victimized by discrimination related to

This emphasizes the harmful effects and victimhood resulting from discriminatory practices.

disadvantaged because of

This points out the reduced opportunities or benefits as a consequence of discrimination.

prejudiced against due to

This highlights the bias and negative feelings that lead to discriminatory actions.

penalized for

This focuses on consequences one faces because of discrimination.

oppressed due to

This suggests systemic and prolonged unfair treatment as a result of discrimination.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the word "discriminate"?

The correct form is "discriminate against". For example, "It is illegal to discriminate against someone based on their race".

What does it mean to "discriminate against" someone?

To "discriminate against" someone means to treat them unfairly or negatively because of a particular characteristic, such as their race, gender, age, or religion.

Are there situations where it's acceptable to discriminate?

While the term is generally negative, businesses might "differentiate between" customers based on factors like credit score to assess risk, but such practices must be legally compliant and non-discriminatory in a prohibited sense.

What are some legal protections against discrimination?

Many countries have laws to protect individuals from discrimination based on characteristics like race, gender, religion, age, and disability. These laws aim to ensure equal opportunities and fair treatment for all.