without resorting to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'without resorting to' is correct and is commonly used in written English.
You can use the phrase when you are referring to not utilizing a certain course of action. For example, "We decided to find an alternate solution to the problem without resorting to layoffs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

First, one can resist evil without resorting to violence.

Stanford University

You learn to navigate threatening settings without resorting to force.

The New York Times

— that it is impossible to fathom without resorting to metaphor.

The New Yorker

The challenge was to depict it without resorting to caricature.

The New Yorker

Can I heat my home without resorting to unsightly radiators?

The New York Times

For CNN, that means without resorting to full-throated partisanship.

The New York Times

And without resorting to an offshore call center.

The New York Times

But he insisted that you can achieve diversity without resorting to quotas.

The Economist

Chrysler has managed to accelerate sales without resorting to heavy discounts.

The New York Times

But real history has nuances and ambiguities enough — Sanger's certainly does — without resorting to fakes.

The New Yorker

But more remarkable is that the Rangers won without resorting to thuggery.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "without resorting to" when you want to emphasize that an action was deliberately avoided, often because it is undesirable or a last resort. For example, "The company increased profits without resorting to layoffs" shows a positive outcome achieved by avoiding a negative action.

Common error

While "without resorting to" is grammatically sound, it can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Consider using simpler alternatives like "instead of" or "without" to maintain a natural tone. For instance, instead of saying "I finished the project without resorting to all-nighters", you could say "I finished the project without pulling any all-nighters".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without resorting to" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or clause, indicating a manner or condition under which an action is performed or a result is achieved. Ludwig shows numerous examples of this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

15%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "without resorting to" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to indicate the avoidance of a specific action, often implying that the avoided action is undesirable or a last resort. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, encyclopedias, and wiki articles. When writing, you can use "without resorting to" to add nuance and emphasize the deliberate avoidance of a particular action. While generally neutral to formal in register, remember that it can be replaced with simpler alternatives like "instead of" in more informal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

without turning to

Emphasizes avoiding something as a first choice, implying it might still be an option.

avoiding the need for

Focuses on preventing the necessity of a particular action.

without having to

Highlights the absence of obligation to perform a certain action.

while circumventing

Suggests finding a way around a particular obstacle or action.

without the use of

Specifies that something is done without utilizing a particular method or tool.

bypassing the need for

Implies skipping or going around something that might otherwise be required.

rather than use

Presents an alternative action that is preferred over the original one.

instead of

Indicates a substitution of one action or thing for another.

without recourse to

Formal way of saying without using something as a last option.

abstaining from

Implies a deliberate choice to refrain from a specific action.

FAQs

How can I use "without resorting to" in a sentence?

Use "without resorting to" to indicate that you achieved something while deliberately avoiding a particular action or method. For example, "They resolved the conflict "without resorting to violence"".

What are some alternatives to "without resorting to"?

Some alternatives include "instead of", "without the need for", or "avoiding", depending on the specific context and desired nuance.

Is it more formal to use "without resorting to" or "instead of"?

"Without resorting to" is generally more formal than "instead of". The former implies a conscious effort to avoid a less desirable option, while the latter simply indicates a preference or substitution.

What's the difference between "without resorting to" and "without using"?

"Without resorting to" suggests that the avoided action is a last resort or less desirable option, while "without using" simply means something was done without the aid of a particular tool or method. For example, you might say, "I fixed the car "without using specialized tools"" but "The company cut costs "without resorting to layoffs"".