we were approached by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we were approached by" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to explain that someone has initiated contact with you or your group. For example: "We were approached by a representative from a local charity, who asked us to help with their upcoming fundraiser."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

We were approached by a car.

The Guardian

We were approached by Toronto with this deal.

The New York Times - Sports

"We were approached by a lot of major distilleries," Isler says.

Columbia University

NT: We were approached by Southwark Local Authority (LA) in 2005.

The Guardian

"We were approached by a number of companies, but we did not initiate those contacts".

The New York Times

A few minutes later, we were approached by a young man named Ali.

The New Yorker

We were approached by establishments in Saint-Tropez, Las Vegas and Lake Geneva.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In the Plaza Mayor we were approached by a mother-son pickpocket team.

The New York Times - Travel

"If we were approached by a car manufacturer, it wouldn't work for us at all.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Keep in mind, we are approached by all types of groups.

The Guardian

"But in other cases we are approached by people eager to edit.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we were approached by" when you want to emphasize that the other party initiated the contact. It can subtly highlight your organization's passive role in the initial interaction.

Common error

Avoid replacing the passive construction "we were approached by" with an active voice construction if you want to emphasize the initiator of contact. Using active voice might shift the focus incorrectly. For instance, instead of "they approached us" focus on "we were approached by them".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were approached by" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject (we) received the action of being approached. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically sound way to express that someone initiated contact with your group.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Academia

18%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we were approached by" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate that your group received the initial contact from someone else. As demonstrated by numerous examples provided by Ludwig, this phrase is versatile and can be used in various contexts ranging from news reports to business communications. Be mindful of the voice you intend to use (active or passive) as this choice can affect who the subject of the sentence is. Alternatives such as "we were contacted by" or "we received an approach from" can be used depending on the context and desired tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we were contacted by

Replaces "approached" with the more direct and common "contacted".

we were reached out to by

Uses the phrasal verb "reached out to", indicating an attempt to establish communication.

we received an approach from

Uses a more formal tone by employing "received an approach" instead of "were approached".

someone got in touch with us

Uses an informal tone to convey that someone started communicating with the group.

we heard from

A more concise way of saying that communication was established with someone.

we had an inquiry from

Suggests a request for information or a specific question was initiated.

we were solicited by

Indicates that the approach was for a specific purpose, such as a request for something.

an offer was presented to us by

Focuses on the presentation of an offer rather than the general act of being approached.

we entertained an offer from

Suggests that the approach was more formal and involved a concrete proposal.

we were greeted by

Suggests a formal or intentional welcome.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "we were approached by" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you could say "we received an approach from" or "we were contacted by". Consider the specific context when choosing the most appropriate "alternative".

Is it better to use active or passive voice when using the phrase "we were approached by"?

The phrase "we were approached by" is in the passive voice. Using the passive voice emphasizes that your organization was on the receiving end of the contact. If you want to emphasize the initiator, use the active voice, like "they approached us".

What does "we were approached by" mean?

The phrase "we were approached by" means that someone initiated contact with you or your group. It implies that you were the recipient of the initial communication.

Can I use "we were approached by" in a business context?

Yes, "we were approached by" is perfectly suitable for professional settings. For instance, you might say, "We were approached by several investors interested in our company".