out of concern for

USAGE SUMMARY

"out of concern for" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is used to express a feeling of worry or care for someone or something, for example: "Out of concern for our employees' safety, the company has decided to close the office early."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

She emphasized that she had done the things she did out of concern for her family.

The New Yorker

Waves of protests rocked Tokyo; a shocked Washington canceled a scheduled presidential visit out of concern for the president's safety.

The New York Times

Even if done legally and out of concern for family members, the covert use of GPS devices poses ethical questions.

The New York Times

That came out of concern for battered women and was a real issue for defending women's rights".

The Guardian

The judge gave him a day to arrange his affairs, "out of concern for nothing but your children".

Los Angeles Times

"I say this out of concern for humanity.

The New York Times

He observed that he could have fled but didn't out of concern for his hostages.

The New Yorker

The company might assert it acts out of concern for its customers.

The Economist

She decided to withdraw her letter out of concern for her business relationship in the city.

The New York Times

She declined to give her name out of concern for her safety.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Lila has reportedly since dropped gym class "out of concerns for her safety".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "out of concern for" when you want to explain that an action was taken specifically to prevent harm or show care for others. It is highly effective in professional and journalistic writing to soften the delivery of restrictive news (e.g. "The event was canceled out of concern for public safety")

Common error

Do not combine "out of concern for" with other causal words like "because of" or "due to" (e.g. "because out of concern for"). The phrase already acts as a complete causal connector on its own

Linguistic Context

Grammatically, "out of concern for" functions as a complex causal prepositional phrase. It introduces the motivation behind a main clause's action. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a standard and correct construction used to link an effect (the action) with its emotional or protective cause.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

3%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Science

0.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "out of concern for" is a highly reliable and sophisticated way to express why an action was taken. Ludwig AI indicates that it is a staple of professional writing, appearing in thousands of contexts ranging from international diplomacy to corporate safety notices. Its structure is stable and it effectively bridges the gap between an action and its protective reasoning. Whether used in The New York Times to explain a political withdrawal or in a business setting to justify a policy change, it remains one of the most effective phrases for conveying care and caution.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

due to consideration for

Focuses on the deliberate thought process rather than an emotional worry

out of regard for

Emphasizes respect or esteem for the subject's status or feelings

motivated by concern for

Clearly identifies the feeling as the primary driver of the action

for the sake of

Focuses on the benefit or purpose of the action for someone else

owing to worries about

Slightly more informal and emphasizes the specific anxiety involved

prompted by apprehension for

Suggests a more immediate or fearful sense of danger

because of interest in

Less emotive and more focused on objective attention or curiosity

fearing for

A more direct and urgent way to express concern for safety

in light of anxiety over

Situates the concern as a factor in a broader decision-making context

to protect the interests of

Shifts the focus from the feeling of concern to the functional protective outcome

FAQs

What is the meaning of "out of concern for"?

The phrase means that an action is being performed because of a feeling of worry or a desire to protect someone or something. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used in contexts involving safety, health and well-being.

Can I use "out of concern about" instead?

Yes, but they are used slightly differently. "out of concern for" usually precedes a person or entity being protected (e.g. "concern for the students"), while "out of concern about" often precedes a situation or problem (e.g. "concern about the economy").

Is "out of concern for" formal?

Yes, it is considered neutral to formal. It is extremely common in high-quality journalism and business communication to explain motives professionally.

What can I say instead of "out of concern for"?

Depending on the context, you could use "due to consideration for", "motivated by concern for" or "for the sake of".