update someone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "update someone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to inform or provide new information to a person about a particular situation or topic. Example: "I will update you on the project's progress by the end of the week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Just the other day, the young man at the cash register who was supposed to help with the bagging was using both hands to update someone on the status of who knows what (certainly not the joys of bagging groceries).

The New York Times

Battery Drain - With almost every iOS update someone complains about battery drain, but iOS 10.2.1 is seeing consistent complaints about increased power consumption (sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Forbes

Since Twitter used the phone number of the sender of an SMS message as authentication, malicious users could update someone else's status page by using SMS spoofing.

Wikipedia

Agencies deal with hundreds of CVs and many clients at a time, which is often their excuse for no feedback at all (still a poor one, as it only takes a copy paste to update someone).

Huffington Post

Update: Someone must have noticed.

The New Yorker

Update: Someone is going to claim that I cheated by looking at overall government spending, as opposed to Federal.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

For example, the new fitness stories dynamically update when someone finishes their workout, and early data shows that average likes per story have increased by more than 2x.

TechCrunch

Android 9 Pie is a free update for eligible devices – if you are ever asked to pay for Android updates, someone is trying to con you.

The Guardian - Tech

Many Orthodox synagogues have signs that are manually updated by someone with the current page numbers, or there will be someone designated to call them out at the beginning of each new section.

WikiHow

Notable Quotes Many offices keep a computer file that is updated whenever someone says something funny, unusual, or profound.

The New York Times - Tech

These are done in reverse chronological order, and are constantly updating when someone tweets or diggs another link.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "update someone", ensure the context clearly indicates what information you are providing an update on. Specificity enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "update someone" excessively in casual conversations; simpler phrases like "let you know" or "tell you" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "update someone" is as a transitive verb phrase, where "update" is the verb and "someone" is the direct object. This phrase describes the act of providing new or current information to a person. Ludwig confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "update someone" is a grammatically correct way to describe informing someone about new information. Ludwig AI indicates that it is usable in written English and offers several real-world examples. While its frequency is relatively rare, it's suitable for various contexts, ranging from neutral news reporting to informal communication. For more formal settings, consider "inform someone", while more casual conversations might benefit from "let someone know".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inform someone

A more formal and direct alternative, suitable for professional contexts.

notify someone

Implies a more official or urgent communication.

advise someone

Suggests providing guidance or recommendations along with information.

apprise someone

A more sophisticated and less common synonym for inform.

bring someone up to date

A more detailed way to express the action of updating with possibly past details

fill someone in

A more casual and informal way to update someone.

give someone the latest

Focuses on providing the most recent information.

keep someone posted

Suggests regular updates will be provided over time.

get in touch with someone

Broader and doesn't specifically imply giving new information, but rather more generally contacting someone.

let someone know

A very general phrase indicating communication of any kind.

FAQs

What does "update someone" mean?

To "update someone" means to give them the latest information about something, usually something that is ongoing or has changed since the last time you spoke.

How can I use "update someone" in a sentence?

You can say, "I'll "update you" on the project's progress next week" or "Could you "update me" on what happened at the meeting?"

What are some alternatives to "update someone"?

Alternatives include "inform someone", "notify someone", or "bring someone up to date", depending on the level of formality and the context.

Is "update someone" formal or informal?

"Update someone" is generally considered neutral, suitable for both professional and informal communication. The alternatives may be better suited depending on context.