Gore Vidal
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Is It Grammatically Correct to Say as per?
Many wonder whether the as in as per is superfluous. Wouldn’t the phrase “per your instructions” mean much the same thing as “as per your instructions?” In that case, would it be incorrect to insert the extra word?
The fact is that both per and as per have existed in English in the sense “according to” for a very long time–since the 15th and 16th centuries, respectively. The choice of which to use (or avoid) is entirely a matter of taste. The more ponderous as per is often found in business and legal prose, or in writing that attempts to adopt a formal tone. It is not incorrect to use, but some find it overly legalistic and counsel avoiding it for that reason. On the other hand, it has been used to good effect in facetious mock-business-English (“as per the President’s shiny new Environmental Policy Act”). As in so many matters of diction, the tonal needs of a particular passage should guide your choice.
Examples of as per in a Sentence
Juan Carlos Medina, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Safety Benefits: Brighter mornings can enhance safety for morning commuters and schoolchildren, reducing the risk of accidents, as per the Connecticut General Assembly.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
The big picture: President Joe Biden appointed Jan. 9 as a national day of mourning for Carter and U.S. flags will fly at half-staff on all federal buildings, grounds and naval vessels for 30 days as per federal protocols, according to a Sunday night White House statement.
—Jacob Knutson, Axios, 29 Dec. 2024
Meanwhile, Callum was in a relationship with The Crown actress Vanessa Kirby from 2015 until 2019, as per Metro UK.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“As per.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/as%20per. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
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