Arising from vs. Arising out of – Which is Correct?
Both “arising from” and “arising out of” are correct English expressions. They mean that something develops, results, or originates from a cause, event, or condition. “Arising from” is usually more concise and neutral, while “arising out of” can emphasize a direct connection, often in formal, legal, or technical writing contexts.
Arising from or Arising out of: Which Is Correct?
Both expressions are grammatically correct, and they often have the same meaning: something originates from, results from, or develops because of another thing. The main difference is emphasis and style.
Arising from is shorter, direct, and broadly suitable for everyday, academic, business, and professional writing. Arising out of is slightly more expansive and often highlights a causal relationship. It is especially common in legal documents, contracts, insurance policies, and formal reports.
For example, “problems arising from poor communication” and “problems arising out of poor communication” are both correct. The first is more concise; the second gives a slightly stronger sense that the problems developed as a consequence of the communication failure.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the short-versus-expanded test. If you want a concise way to say “resulting from,” choose arising from. If you want to stress that something emerged as a consequence of a particular event, agreement, or dispute, choose arising out of.
A useful substitution test is to replace the phrase with resulting from. If the sentence still sounds natural, either expression may work. In formal legal language, however, arising out of is often the more traditional choice.
| Word or Phrase | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| arising from | Participial phrase with preposition | Developing or resulting from a source or cause | The costs arising from the delay were substantial. |
| arising out of | Participial phrase with compound preposition | Developing as a consequence of a particular event or situation | The claim arose out of a contractual dispute. |
How to Use Arising from
Arising from functions as a participial phrase that modifies a noun. It means “resulting from,” “caused by,” or “developing from.” It is concise and neutral in tone, making it appropriate for ordinary conversation as well as academic, business, scientific, and professional writing.
Because arising is a present participle, the phrase usually appears after the noun it describes. It can refer to physical origins, abstract causes, legal issues, financial consequences, or organizational problems.
Example 1: The committee addressed concerns arising from the proposed policy.
Example 2: Several health benefits may arise from regular physical activity.
Example 3: The company recorded additional expenses arising from the equipment failure.
Etymology of the Phrase Arising from
Arising comes from the verb arise, which developed from Old English ārīsan, meaning “to rise” or “to get up.” Over time, arise also acquired the figurative meaning “to originate” or “come into existence.” The preposition from indicates the source or cause, producing the modern meaning “originating in” or “resulting from.”
How to Use Arising out of
Arising out of also means “resulting from” or “originating in,” but it can place greater emphasis on the connection between an outcome and the event that produced it. The expression is especially common in formal and legal writing.
In contracts, phrases such as claims arising out of this agreement or disputes arising out of the transaction identify the specific relationship or event connected to a possible claim or dispute. In less formal writing, arising from may sound more natural because it is shorter.
Example 1: The insurer covered losses arising out of the storm.
Example 2: The court considered several questions arising out of the employment dispute.
Example 3: New opportunities arose out of the organization’s partnership with the university.
Etymology of the Phrase Arising out of
The phrase combines arising, from Old English roots meaning “rising” or “coming into existence,” with out of, a compound prepositional expression indicating movement, source, or origin. Its figurative meaning developed naturally from the idea of something coming out of a particular event, condition, or circumstance.
Related Concepts
Understanding participial phrases and causal prepositions makes it easier to choose between these two expressions accurately.
- Participial phrases: A phrase beginning with a present participle, such as arising from the delay, modifies a noun and provides additional information about it.
- Causation: Both expressions can show that one event, condition, or result was caused by or connected to another.
- Prepositional phrases: The words from and out of introduce the source, origin, or circumstances associated with the result.
- Legal register: Formal legal writing frequently uses arising out of when describing claims, obligations, disputes, or liabilities connected with an agreement or event.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples reflect common uses in journalism, fiction, business reporting, and formal public communication.
- News reporting: “Residents reported health concerns arising from prolonged exposure to contaminated water.”
- Business journalism: “The company faced losses arising out of the unexpected supply-chain disruption.”
- Legal reporting: “The lawsuit involved claims arising out of an alleged breach of contract.”
- Historical writing: “The reforms addressed social tensions arising from rapid industrialization.”
- Fictional narration: “She struggled to resolve the misunderstandings arising from the family’s long silence.”
Practice Exercises
Choose the more natural phrase, arising from or arising out of, to complete each sentence. In several examples, both may be grammatically possible, but one is more suitable for the context.
- The report examined safety concerns ______ the construction project.
- The insurer denied several claims ______ the unauthorized repairs.
- The team identified communication problems ______ unclear instructions.
- The agreement covered all disputes ______ the business relationship.
- The additional revenue ______ the company’s investment in renewable energy.
Answer Key
- arising from — This concise expression suits a general report.
- arising out of — This formal wording is common in insurance and legal contexts.
- arising from — It clearly identifies the cause and avoids unnecessary length.
- arising out of — This is a conventional formal phrase for disputes connected with an agreement or relationship.
- arising from — The phrase naturally describes revenue resulting from an investment.
Arising from Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| resulting from | Happening as a consequence of something |
| stemming from | Developing from a particular source or cause |
| originating in | Beginning in or being caused by a specific source |
| caused by | Produced directly by an event or condition |
Arising out of Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| resulting from | Developing as a consequence of an event or situation |
| arising from | Originating in or being caused by something |
| connected with | Associated with a particular event, agreement, or circumstance |
| stemming from | Having a stated source or underlying cause |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “arising from” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Arising from” is a correct participial phrase meaning “resulting from,” “originating in,” or “caused by.” It is concise and works well in both general and formal writing.
Question 2: Is “arising out of” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Arising out of” is also correct and means that something developed as a result of or in connection with another event or condition. It is particularly common in legal, contractual, and insurance language.
Question 3: Which is better: “arising from” or “arising out of”?
Neither is universally better. Choose “arising from” for concise, neutral wording. Choose “arising out of” when you want to emphasize the connection or are using conventional formal language, especially in a legal document.
Conclusion
Arising from and arising out of are both correct expressions for describing something that originates in or results from a cause. Use arising from for direct, concise writing and arising out of when emphasizing a causal connection or following formal legal conventions. Pro Tip: In professional writing, choose the shorter phrase unless the expanded form adds useful emphasis or matches an established legal expression.
