operating on behalf of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "operating on behalf of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone is acting as a representative or agent for another person or organization. Example: "The lawyer is operating on behalf of her client during the negotiations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

"You will see a united opposition operating on behalf of the Iraqi people," he said.

The New Yorker

In fact, Aurora was Gashi, and he was operating on behalf of Mahmood.

The Guardian

Britain is a democracy in name only, "operating on behalf of a tiny elite no matter the electoral outcome".

The Economist

Individual would-be bombers are far more difficult to detect than those operating on behalf of organised groups.

The Guardian

What they cannot say is whether the hackers are operating on behalf of the Chinese state or in a haven that the Chinese have encouraged.

The New York Times

The National Building Agency NBAA), set up to advise councils in the 1970s, was a malevolent influence operating on behalf of concrete system manufacturers.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Although some charter services operated on behalf of tour operators and ad-hoc charters are not included in OAG, we regard OAG data as a good proxy for the air transport volume in the passenger sector considering the following aspects: According to DLR calculations based on EUROSTAT figures for 2007, non-scheduled flights account for about 12% of all IFR passenger flights [11].

European Transport Research Review

In reality, the number of filtered junk messages is much higher, since he doesn't take into account private servers it operates on behalf of larger clients and only counts the ones that get blocked on public servers.

TechCrunch

The banks and building societies taking part in the ATM initiative were Bank of Ireland ATMs at Post Office locations, Barclays, The Co-operative Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland (including ATMs operated on behalf of Tesco Bank), Sainsbury's Bank, Santander and Yorkshire Bank.

BBC

The Green Bank Telescope is operated on behalf of the National Science Foundation by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory/Associated Universities Incorporated.

University of California, Berkeley

The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) is operated on behalf of the United Kingdom, Canada & Netherlands by the Joint Astronomy Centre.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "operating on behalf of" to indicate that an action is being done for the benefit or at the direction of another party.

Common error

Avoid using "operating on behalf of" if the action primarily benefits the actor, not the represented party. The phrase implies a fiduciary or representational duty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "operating on behalf of" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a verb to indicate agency or representation. As shown in Ludwig, it clarifies who is performing an action and for whose benefit or under whose authority the action is being carried out.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

24%

Academia

16%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "operating on behalf of" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that someone is acting as a representative or agent for another person or organization. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across various domains, including news, academia, and science. While "acting as an agent for", "representing", and "working in the interest of" serve as alternatives, "operating on behalf of" is preferred for its precision in formal contexts. It's crucial to use the phrase accurately, ensuring that the action primarily benefits the represented party. Keep in mind that Ludwig examples showed that in common contexts the phrase is largely used in formal context with authoritative sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acting as an agent for

Emphasizes the role of representing someone else's interests.

as a representative of

Directly states the representative role.

working in the interest of

Highlights the alignment of actions with someone else's goals.

representing

Focuses on the act of standing in for another entity.

acting in the capacity of

Highlights the formal role or position held while acting.

under the authority of

Stresses that someone is acting in line with another authority.

on the instructions of

Highlights that the action is based on someone's command.

serving as a proxy for

Emphasizes substitution and indirect action.

advocating for

Highlights support and promotion of someone's cause.

being an intermediary for

Focuses on the role as a link for others.

FAQs

What does it mean to say someone is "operating on behalf of" an organization?

Saying someone is "operating on behalf of" an organization means they are acting as a representative or agent of that organization, often with the organization's authorization or for its benefit.

How can I use "operating on behalf of" in a sentence?

You can use "operating on behalf of" to show that someone is acting as a representative for someone else. For example, "The lawyer is "acting as an agent for" her client in the negotiations."

Is "operating on behalf of" formal or informal language?

"Operating on behalf of" is generally considered neutral to formal language, suitable for professional, news, and academic contexts. It is often preferred over more casual alternatives in formal writing.

What are some alternatives to "operating on behalf of"?

Some alternatives to "operating on behalf of" include "representing", "acting as an agent for", or "working in the interest of", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.