interpretation by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase “interpretation by” is correct and usable in written English.
For example, one might write, “The judge’s interpretation by the law was fair and just.” This phrase is generally used to refer to an interpretation or understanding done by an individual of a text, event, or situation.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They leave so much room for interpretation by managers".

The Guardian

It's an actorly interpretation by the usual Beckett standards.

The New York Times

The show, "Interpretation by Design: Contemporary Bookbindings," features selections from Mr. Sherman's personal collection.

The New York Times

And the regulators are relying on support of their strict interpretation by European courts.

The New York Times

It even survived a colourless drum'n'bass interpretation by Saint Etienne in 1993.

The Guardian - Music

His uncompromising lyrical vision is given a vivid, if chill, interpretation by Bergman.

The New Yorker

Including grant appropriations is hardly a "far-fetched interpretation" by the Justice Department.

The New York Times

One is an English interpretation by David Greenspan and features six Western actors.

The New York Times - Arts

"It was unnecessary and purposely open to interpretation by everyone," she said.

The Guardian

Long term, they're up for interpretation by myself and by the team.

The New York Times - Sports

Such interpretation by the courts will be the real determining factor in the impact of these reforms.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, specify the type of professional (e.g., pathologist or radiologist) to add authoritative weight to the diagnosis.

Common error

Avoid using "interpretation by" when referring to the subject matter itself. Use "interpretation of" to introduce the thing being analyzed. For example, say "the interpretation of the data" rather than "the interpretation by the data" unless the data is somehow doing the interpreting.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "interpretation by" functions as a noun phrase modified by an agentive prepositional phrase. It is used to link a specific act of understanding or performance to the entity that generated it. According to Ludwig, it is a foundational construction for attributing analytical agency in both passive and active sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

33%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "interpretation by" is an essential tool for clear and professional writing. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it excels in contexts where agency matters, such as scientific diagnoses or artistic critiques. It allows writers to credit specific entities—whether they be human experts like pathologists or non-human systems like code—for the way data or art is understood. To use it effectively, always ensure the agent following "by" is the one performing the analysis and distinguish it from the object of the analysis which should follow "of". Its prevalence in prestigious sources like The New York Times and various scientific journals confirms its status as a reliable and formal linguistic standard.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

analysis by

Shifts the focus to a more data-driven or structured evaluation.

explanation by

Emphasizes the act of making a concept clear to an audience.

reading by

Often used in literary or subjective contexts to denote a personal viewpoint.

elucidation by

A more formal term for clarifying an obscure or complex point.

performance by

Used specifically when the interpretation involves an artistic enactment.

construction by

Refers to the legal or philosophical building of a specific meaning.

characterization by

Focuses on how someone describes the nature of the subject.

version by

Suggests a specific iteration or variant provided by an author.

rendering by

Highlights the artistic or visual presentation of an idea.

translation by

Pertains specifically to converting meaning across languages or media.

FAQs

How do I use "interpretation by" in a sentence?

You use it to show who performed the analysis. For example, "The test results required careful "interpretation by" a specialist."

What is the difference between "interpretation by" and "interpretation of"?

Use "interpretation by" for the person doing the work and "interpretation of" for the thing being studied. In "The interpretation of the poem by the student", the student is the agent and the poem is the object.

What can I say instead of "interpretation by"?

Depending on the context, you can use "analysis by", "explanation by", or "reading by".

Is "interpretation by" formal enough for academic papers?

Yes, it is extremely common in academic and scientific contexts. Ludwig shows it is frequently used in medical journals to describe diagnostic processes.