upon receipt

USAGE SUMMARY

"upon receipt" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means "when you have received something." Example sentence: Upon receipt of the documents, she filed them away in the cabinet.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

§ 107.1210 Payment of leverage fee upon receipt of commitment.

Cornell University

Upon receipt, it is to be signed and returned.

Stanford University

§ 210.9 Action of Commission upon receipt of complaint.

Cornell University

Upon receipt of confirmation, proceed to next step.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Service of a complaint is complete upon receipt.

Cornell University

Each commanded in large block letters: Payment is due upon receipt of this invoice.

The New York Times

(Poisonous snakes will be erased upon receipt of a yellow air-warning).

The New Yorker

In some countries the bar association upon receipt of a complaint will hold a hearing.

Britannica

Upon receipt, we will work together to make a plan for stabilization".

The New York Times

BP has demanded payment "30 days upon receipt," or as early as Friday.

The New York Times

Upon receipt of the defense brief, the prosecution will have 60 additional days to respond.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "upon receipt" to clearly indicate that an action should be taken immediately or shortly after something is received. This is especially useful in instructions, legal documents, and business correspondence.

Common error

Avoid using "upon receipt" when the action doesn't need to occur immediately after receiving something. If there's a delay or a process between receiving and acting, use phrases like "after receiving" or "following the receipt of" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "upon receipt" functions as a prepositional phrase, often modifying a verb or clause to indicate the timing of an action. It specifies that something should occur immediately or shortly after something else is received, as shown in examples from Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

4%

Academia

16%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "upon receipt" is a grammatically correct and very common prepositional phrase that indicates an action should be taken immediately after something is received. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is particularly prevalent in scientific, news, and formal business contexts. When writing, remember that the phrase sets an expectation for prompt action and to avoid using it when a delay is intended. Using alternatives like "on receiving" or "after receiving" may be more appropriate in less formal situations or when immediacy is not required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on receiving

Replaces "upon" with "on", creating a slightly less formal tone but maintaining the same meaning.

as soon as it is received

Emphasizes the immediacy of the action after receiving the item.

when received

A more concise way of expressing the same idea, suitable for technical or formal contexts.

after receiving

Uses "after" instead of "upon", indicating a short period of time has passed since the action.

once it is received

More verbose, specifying that an item has been received before an action occurs.

at the time of receiving

Focuses on the specific moment of receipt.

following reception

A more formal and less common alternative, suitable for official documentation.

with receipt of

A slightly inverted construction of the original phrase, emphasizing the action of receiving.

after the item has been received

A more explicit and detailed version of the original phrase.

on delivery

Focuses on the point of delivery, suitable when the context involves physical goods.

FAQs

How can I use "upon receipt" in a sentence?

You can use "upon receipt" to indicate that something should happen immediately after receiving something. For example, "Upon receipt of the package, please inspect it for damage."

What are some alternatives to "upon receipt"?

Alternatives include "on receiving", "after receiving", or "when received", depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "upon receipt" or "after receiving"?

"Upon receipt" is generally considered more formal than "after receiving". Use "upon receipt" in legal or official documents and "after receiving" in more casual contexts.

What's the difference between "upon receipt" and "on delivery"?

"Upon receipt" refers to the act of receiving something, regardless of how it was obtained. "On delivery" specifically refers to the moment something is delivered, usually by a courier or postal service.