making sacrifices

USAGE SUMMARY

"making sacrifices" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means giving up or doing something difficult or uncomfortable in order to achieve a goal or help someone else. Example: "In order to save money for their children's education, the couple had to make sacrifices, such as giving up their weekly date nights and cutting back on eating out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"We are making sacrifices.

The Guardian

Today, you're not making sacrifices.

The New York Times

I'm making sacrifices now to enjoy life later on".

The New York Times

"We're all making sacrifices for our country," he says.

The Guardian

The arguments for making sacrifices to protect the coal industry will become more difficult to sustain.

The New Yorker

Its workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of making sacrifices to save the scheme.

The Economist

LAURA SECOR: So, for you, those rights are worth making sacrifices in other priorities?

The New Yorker

"I think all of us are making sacrifices," said the city manager, Finley deGraffenried.

The New York Times

What are some ways that making sacrifices can be unproductive in oral history?

Columbia University

"We're both making sacrifices, which is what you do when you're in love".

The New York Times - Food

In one post, he also emphasized the importance of making sacrifices in the name of Islam.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider pairing "making sacrifices" with verbs that emphasize the deliberate nature of the act, such as "willingly making sacrifices" or "consciously making sacrifices".

Common error

Avoid using "making sacrifices" as a vague statement. Instead, specify what sacrifices are being made to provide a concrete and meaningful message. For instance, instead of saying "They were making sacrifices", say "They were "forgoing vacations" and "eating out less" to save money."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making sacrifices" functions as a gerund phrase, often serving as the subject or part of the verb phrase in a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and frequently used construction, indicating an action that someone is performing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Academia

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase "making sacrifices" is a common and grammatically correct way to express the act of giving up something valuable for a greater good. This phrase appears frequently in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts, indicating its versatility and broad applicability. To enhance your writing, be specific about what is being sacrificed and the motivation behind it. Remember, while many sources use it, overusing the phrase without specific details might weaken your writing's impact. Semantically related phrases, such as "putting others first" or "going the extra mile", can offer alternative ways to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

putting others first

Highlights prioritizing the needs and well-being of others.

forgoing pleasures

Emphasizes abstinence from enjoyable activities or possessions.

taking one for the team

Highlights sacrificing personal gain for the benefit of a group.

enduring hardship

Focuses on withstanding difficult conditions or suffering.

bearing the brunt

Focuses on enduring hardship or negative consequences.

offering up

Highlights a deliberate act of giving or relinquishing something.

going the extra mile

Emphasizes exceeding expectations and putting in additional effort.

accepting compromises

Stresses the willingness to meet halfway and relinquish one's ideal position.

biting the bullet

Suggests facing a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage.

swallowing pride

Implies suppressing one's ego or vanity for the sake of a relationship or goal.

FAQs

How can I use "making sacrifices" in a sentence?

You can use "making sacrifices" to describe giving up something valuable for a greater cause or someone else's benefit. For example, "She was "making sacrifices to support" her family's needs."

What are some alternatives to "making sacrifices"?

Alternatives to "making sacrifices" include "going the extra mile", "putting others first", or "enduring hardship", depending on the specific context.

Is "making sacrifices" a formal or informal expression?

"Making sacrifices" is a neutral expression suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing.

What's the difference between "making sacrifices" and "compromising"?

"Making sacrifices" implies giving up something of value, while "compromising" suggests reaching an agreement where both parties concede something. "Making sacrifices" often involves a unilateral action, whereas "compromising" is usually a mutual process.