on our behalf

USAGE SUMMARY

'on our behalf' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone is acting on behalf of a group. For example, "Our lawyer has filed the paperwork on our behalf."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Advocate on our behalf".

The New York Times

They could lobby on our behalf.

The New Yorker

Paint adores them on our behalf.

The New Yorker

For they also tortured – on our behalf.

Independent

Others died on our behalf.

The Guardian - Opinion

Can you intervene on our behalf?

The Guardian - Money

(Someone please go on our behalf).

The Guardian - Travel

On our behalf, thanks to you all.

Stanford University

Is this how we want information gathered on our behalf?

The New Yorker

Get out there and speak on our behalf".

The New York Times

Some people increased their pace, feeling embarrassed on our behalf.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on our behalf" when you want to clearly state that someone is acting as a representative or advocate for a group or organization. For instance, "The lawyer negotiated the contract on our behalf."

Common error

Avoid using "on our behalf" when the action is not truly representative or doesn't benefit the entire group. For example, don't say "He made a personal purchase on our behalf" unless it was genuinely for the collective benefit.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on our behalf" typically functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb. It indicates the entity for whom an action is performed, expressing representation or advocacy. Ludwig examples show it in various contexts, reinforcing its role in denoting representation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

16%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Science

4%

Reference

3%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on our behalf" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that someone is acting as a representative or advocate for a group. According to Ludwig, it is often used in contexts such as news, academia, and formal business communications. When using this phrase, it's essential to ensure that the action genuinely represents the interests or benefits of the entire group. While alternatives like "in our stead" or "as our representative" exist, "on our behalf" provides a clear and professional way to convey representation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acting for us

A more direct and simple way to express representation.

in our stead

Emphasizes substitution; someone acts in another's place.

for our interests

Focuses on acting to benefit someone's interests.

representing us

Focuses on the act of formally representing someone.

as our representative

Highlights the role of representation.

in our name

Implies authority and permission to act.

as our proxy

Suggests acting with delegated authority.

on our side

Emphasizes support and advocacy.

as our agent

Emphasizes a formal relationship and acting on someone's instructions.

for our benefit

Highlights the positive outcome of the action.

FAQs

How to use "on our behalf" in a sentence?

Use "on our behalf" to indicate that someone is acting as a representative or advocate for a group. For example, "The union representative negotiated the contract "on our behalf"."

What can I say instead of "on our behalf"?

You can use alternatives like "in our stead", "as our representative", or "acting for us" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "on our behalf" or "in our behalf"?

"On our behalf" is the correct and standard usage. "In our behalf" is less common and may sound awkward to native English speakers.

What's the difference between "on our behalf" and "for our benefit"?

"On our behalf" emphasizes representation, while "for our benefit" focuses on the positive outcome. Someone acting "on our behalf" is representing us, while something done "for our benefit" is advantageous to us.