put something by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "put something by" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to refer to saving or setting aside something, often money or resources, for future use. Example: "I try to put something by each month to save for emergencies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Put something by each week for contingencies.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Your celebrities feel that they have put something back by the very act of donating their services, while your audience can feel justified in thinking - as they trudge toward Wembley tube with Genesis's private jet darkening the skies above them - that they are the least of the planet's worries.

The Guardian - Opinion

The sponsors, Booker McConnell, a commodities company, had invested in literary copyrights (mainly Ian Fleming and Agatha Christie), and were persuaded to put something back into literature by funding the prize.

The Guardian - Books

The group advises parents to put something they will need by their child's car seat — a purse, wallet or phone, for example — as an additional reminder to check the back.

The Washington Post

"If you're a bootlegger, and you think you're going to get by and put something out illegally, it will cost you more to defend that than simply getting a license," Simmons said in a telephone interview Friday.

The New York Times - Sports

They all seek to mitigate the devaluing of people who put something else ahead of career ambition by helping them stay in the workforce and achieve their ambitions later.

Huffington Post

"We'd spend six weeks putting something together, by trial and error," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

"We need the governor to help us now by putting something in this budget by Thursday that lets us not have to use seniority when it comes to laying off teachers," Bloomberg said.

Huffington Post

Indeed, if the problem of anxiety could by solved by putting something analogous to fluoride in the water supply, most psychologists and psychiatrists would be out of work and we would lead longer, healthier lives.

Huffington Post

You needed to solve it by putting something in".

The New Yorker

They felt they were doing TV viewers a favour by putting something intelligent on the box.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "put something by" when you want to emphasize the act of regularly saving or setting aside a portion of your resources, especially for future needs or unexpected events. It's more proactive and intentional than simply 'saving'.

Common error

Avoid using "put something by" interchangeably with phrasal verbs that have different nuances, such as "put something away" (which can also mean to tidy up). "Put something by" specifically relates to saving or reserving.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "put something by" functions as a phrasal verb indicating the action of saving or reserving something, typically money or resources. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable expression. The examples show this usage in context, such as saving for contingencies.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "put something by" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrasal verb that means to save or reserve something, typically money, for future use. According to Ludwig AI, it's a usable expression, though relatively rare. The phrase is most commonly found in news and media contexts. For more formal settings, alternatives like "allocate funds" or "reserve resources" may be more appropriate. Remember to use "put something by" when you want to emphasize the importance of saving regularly for future needs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Set something aside

Emphasizes the act of deliberately reserving something.

Save up

Highlights the effort and intention to accumulate something over time.

Save for a rainy day

Specifically refers to saving for unexpected future needs or emergencies.

Put away for later

Focuses on storing something for future consumption or use.

Accumulate savings

Highlights the gradual process of increasing savings over time.

Build up a reserve

Implies creating a stockpile of resources for a specific purpose.

Keep in reserve

Focuses on maintaining a supply for future use.

Amass a fortune

Implies gathering a large sum of money or assets.

Salt away

Suggests hiding or securing something for future use, often in a secretive manner.

Sock away

Refers to saving money, often in a casual or informal way.

FAQs

How can I use "put something by" in a sentence?

You can use "put something by" to describe the action of saving money or resources, as in "I try to "put something by" each month for my retirement".

What's a good alternative to "put something by"?

A good alternative is "set something aside", which carries a similar meaning of reserving something for future use.

Is "put something by" formal or informal?

"Put something by" is generally considered informal but acceptable in most contexts, though more formal situations might benefit from using "allocate funds" or "reserve resources".

What's the difference between "put something by" and "save up"?

While both refer to accumulating something, ""put something by"" suggests a regular, ongoing effort, whereas "save up" often implies saving for a specific, larger purchase or goal.