upon hearing that

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon hearing that" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when someone hears news from another person or hears something that makes them react in a certain way. For example, "Upon hearing that their house had been destroyed in the storm, the family was devastated".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mr. Ribble frowned upon hearing that.

The New York Times

"Upon hearing that people were trapped, he went inside".

The New York Times

Upon hearing that the letters were to be used in a biography, Mr. Salinger copyrighted them.

The New York Times - Arts

Upon hearing that, McCain — "almost impulsively," he told me — offered to accompany the President there.

The New Yorker

Upon hearing that, Dr. James M. Hughes, an official of the disease control centers, paused.

The New York Times

Upon hearing that, Edwin said in Spanish: "Mommy, I will open the door".

The New York Times

I was skeptical upon hearing that Steven Soderbergh was remaking "Solaris".

The New York Times

That's the first thing most people say upon hearing that I was born on 29 February.

The Guardian

She helped execute that massacre and actually smiled upon hearing that.

The New York Times

Upon hearing that ruling, at least one of the prosecutors frowned.

The New York Times - Sports

Anybody who has completed any of the UTMB races is conditioned to spontaneously burst into tears upon hearing that song.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon hearing that" to indicate a formal or immediate reaction to news or information. It adds a touch of sophistication to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "upon hearing that" in very casual contexts where simpler alternatives like "when I heard that" would be more appropriate. The formality of "upon" can feel out of place.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon hearing that" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by indicating the timing or condition under which an action occurs. It introduces a dependent clause that specifies when something happened in relation to receiving information, as demonstrated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Wiki

12%

Science

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon hearing that" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a reaction or event occurring immediately after receiving information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in news and media contexts. While it has a slightly formal tone, it is appropriate for a wide range of writing styles. Consider using simpler alternatives in very casual settings. Remember to use it to effectively convey a sense of immediacy and consequence in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after hearing that

This alternative replaces "upon" with "after", which simplifies the sentence structure while retaining the same meaning.

on hearing that

This option uses "on" instead of "upon", making it slightly more concise but equally formal.

having heard that

This alternative uses a participial phrase to convey the sequence of events.

when they heard that

This alternative changes the structure to a more direct clause, specifying who heard the information.

on being informed that

This phrase is more formal and emphasizes the act of being told the information.

after being told that

Similar to "on being informed that" but slightly less formal.

once it was heard that

This phrase emphasizes the point in time when the information became known.

as soon as they learned that

This option highlights the immediacy of the reaction after learning the information.

when it was disclosed that

This alternative is suitable when the information was previously secret or unknown.

following the announcement that

This is a more formal option, suitable for official or public contexts.

FAQs

What does "upon hearing that" mean?

The phrase "upon hearing that" means immediately after receiving news or information about something. It indicates a reaction or action that follows directly after learning something.

What can I say instead of "upon hearing that"?

You can use alternatives like "after hearing that", "on hearing that", or "when they heard that" depending on the context.

Is "upon hearing that" formal or informal?

"Upon hearing that" is considered a more formal phrase. In informal contexts, simpler alternatives might be more suitable.

How can I use "upon hearing that" in a sentence?

For example, you might say: "Upon hearing that the project was approved, the team celebrated" or "Upon hearing that the concert was canceled, she requested a refund."