undergo operation

USAGE SUMMARY

"undergo operation" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to an instance when someone has a medical procedure done to them. Example: The patient had to undergo operation to repair the torn ACL in their knee.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Conclusion: Low-income women who undergo operation at a university teaching hospital experience lower satisfaction after hysterectomy than do other women.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The project is expected to be constructed and commissioned during 2001 and to undergo operation and evaluation in 2002 and 2003.

Energy for Sustainable Development

Therefore, he did not undergo operation.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Her stage of breast cancer was also IV, and she did not undergo operation because of multiple bone metastases.

Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in order to undergo operation for the treatment of lung cancer.

Surgical Case Reports

Fox 11 reporter Julie Chang to undergo operation for brain tumor.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

We visited the children's medical house where families from rural areas are accommodated while their kids undergo operations.

The Guardian - Opinion

Meanwhile, midfielder Andy Whing and goalkeeper Ryan Clarke are to undergo operations this summer.

BBC

Mr. Dimmers undergoes operation and dies.

The New Yorker

The longterm prognosis for patients undergoing operation depends largely on the pathologic stage of the disease.

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

Eight patients underwent operation after delivery.

Surgical Case Reports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic or medical reporting, the bare phrase "undergo operation" is frequently used when discussing patient groups or statistical categories.

Common error

Writers often mistakenly use "make" as the verb. Always use "undergo", "have" or "perform" (the latter for the surgeon) to maintain standard English collocations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undergo operation" functions as a transitive verb phrase. In this construction, the verb "undergo" means to experience or be subjected to something (usually something unpleasant or necessary). According to Ludwig AI, it is primarily used to describe the passive experience of a patient in a medical context.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Social Media

2%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "undergo operation" is a highly effective and correct phrase for describing medical procedures from the patient's perspective. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in Scientific and News domains. While it can be used without an article in formal medical reporting, adding "an" or using the plural "operations" is often preferred in general writing to improve flow. It is a more formal alternative to simply saying someone "had surgery" and carries a professional, clinical tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

undergo surgery

Uses a more general medical term that is often preferred in modern healthcare writing

have an operation

More common in standard conversational English and general news reporting

receive an operation

Uses a different verb to indicate the patient is the beneficiary of the service

undergo surgical intervention

Highly formal and academic, typically found in surgical research papers

receive surgical treatment

Emphasizes the clinical aspect of the care being provided

be operated on

A passive construction that focuses on the patient as the recipient of the action

undergo a procedure

Slightly more vague, as it can refer to non-surgical medical interventions

be scheduled for surgery

Refers to the administrative or planned state of the medical event

go under the knife

An informal or idiomatic expression used frequently in tabloids or storytelling

require surgery

Focuses on the necessity of the operation rather than the act itself

FAQs

How do I use "undergo operation" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a patient receiving medical care, such as "The patient was admitted to "undergo operation" for a brain tumor."

What is the difference between "undergo" and "perform" an operation?

The patient "undergoes" the operation, while the surgeon is the one who will "perform the operation".

Should I say "undergo operation" or "undergo surgery"?

Both are correct, though "undergo surgery" is slightly more common in modern medical literature.

Is it "undergo operation" or "undergo an operation"?

Both are acceptable. "Undergo operation" is common in technical medical contexts, while "undergo an operation" is more frequent in general news.