In consideration is a standard English phrase, not slang or a nonstandard expression. Its meaning depends on what follows it and the context: it can mean taking something into account, or it can describe something given in exchange for a promise or action. The phrase is especially common in formal writing and contracts, where the second meaning has a specific legal role. Knowing which sense is intended helps you read it correctly and avoid using it where a simpler phrase would be clearer.
What “In Consideration” Means
The phrase most often appears as in consideration of. In ordinary formal writing, it can mean “taking into account,” “because of,” or “in view of.” For example, In consideration of the short notice, the organizer extended the deadline means that the organizer took the short notice into account when making the decision.
In contracts and other formal agreements, in consideration of can instead mean “in exchange for.” In The company will provide the service in consideration of the agreed fee, the fee is what the company receives in exchange for providing the service. The surrounding words usually make the intended sense clear: one refers to a circumstance being considered; the other describes an exchange.
The noun consideration also has broader meanings, including careful thought, attention to other people, or something taken into account. Those meanings are related to the phrase but are not interchangeable in every sentence. For instance, Thank you for your consideration is a request for careful attention, not a reference to a contractual exchange.
Two Main Uses of the Phrase
The first use is about a reason, circumstance, or factor. It is often found in formal explanations, decisions, and announcements. In consideration of the road closures, the meeting will begin online presents the closures as a factor behind the decision. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say because of the road closures or given the road closures.
The second use describes an exchange. One party agrees to do something, or gives something, in return for something else. A sentence might say, In consideration of her agreement to deliver the materials, the client will pay the stated amount. Here, the agreement to deliver and the payment are parts of the exchange.
These meanings overlap in a broad sense: both involve taking something into account. But the exchange meaning has become particularly important in contract law. If the phrase appears in a legal document, do not assume it simply means “because of”; check what each party promises or provides.
In Contracts and Legal Writing
In common-law contract discussions, consideration generally refers to something of value exchanged as part of a bargain. It can be a promise, an act, or an agreement to refrain from doing something. For example, one party may promise to perform a service while the other promises to pay. A contract may describe the payment as given in consideration of the service.
In this setting, consideration is a legal concept, not merely a polite synonym for thoughtfulness. The question is whether the parties exchanged something the applicable law recognizes as sufficient consideration, not whether the exchange seems equally valuable to each side. The details of what counts, and what legal effect it has, depend on the jurisdiction and the facts. Some agreements may also be governed by statutes or legal rules that do not fit a simple summary of common-law consideration.
Contract wording often uses formulas such as for good and valuable consideration or in consideration of the mutual promises set out below. These are formal expressions, not guarantees that a document is enforceable. A sentence containing the word consideration does not, by itself, establish that every legal requirement has been met. If you are signing, drafting, or disputing an agreement, get advice from a qualified legal professional in the relevant jurisdiction.
Using It in Everyday Sentences
Outside legal writing, the phrase is grammatical but can sound formal, bureaucratic, or old-fashioned compared with everyday alternatives. Use it when that level of formality suits the context and the relationship between the ideas is clear. In a friendly message, We moved the picnic indoors because of the rain will usually sound more natural than In consideration of the rain, we moved the picnic indoors.
It can work well in a formal notice or explanation: In consideration of the disruption caused by repairs, the library will waive late fees for items due this week. The reader can see both the relevant circumstance and the action taken in response. For an exchange, a sentence such as The artist received a copy of the finished work in consideration of permission to display it uses the phrase in the “in exchange for” sense.
When revising, ask what you mean. If you mean a factor influenced a decision, try given, because of, or in light of. If you mean one thing is exchanged for another, in exchange for may be easier for a general reader to understand.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
In consideration of is a prepositional phrase. It is commonly followed by a noun phrase, a pronoun, or a gerund phrase (a verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun). Examples include in consideration of the delay, in consideration of their request, and in consideration of changing the schedule.
- Factor or circumstance: In consideration of the forecast, the event moved indoors.
- Exchange: They accepted the offer in consideration of the services provided.
- More direct alternative: Given the forecast, the event moved indoors.
The phrase can appear at the beginning or later in a sentence. When it opens a sentence, a comma commonly separates the introductory phrase from the main clause, as in the first example above. Commas are not what determine the meaning; the words around the phrase do.
Writers sometimes use in consideration for, particularly when emphasizing what is received in return. The construction is understandable, but in consideration of is the familiar formal pattern in many legal and administrative contexts. If precision matters, follow the wording used in the relevant agreement or style guidance rather than treating the two prepositions as automatically identical.
Examples and What They Mean
- In consideration of the guests’ needs, the venue added a step-free entrance. The needs were taken into account when the venue made a change.
- In consideration of the payment, the vendor agreed to deliver the equipment. The payment is part of an exchange for delivery.
- The committee is giving the proposal careful consideration. Here, consideration means thought or attention; the phrase in consideration of is not used.
- The application is under consideration. This means it is being reviewed, not that it is “in consideration of” something.
These examples show why it helps to read the whole sentence. In the first example, a circumstance affects a decision. In the second, the parties exchange value. In the third and fourth, consideration appears in different constructions with different meanings.
Related Phrases That Are Not Interchangeable
In consideration of, under consideration, and out of consideration for may look similar, but they do different work. Under consideration means something is being examined or reviewed: Several locations are under consideration. It does not mean that those locations are being offered as payment or that they are simply being taken into account in a completed decision.
Out of consideration for someone means acting thoughtfully or respectfully toward that person. For example, She lowered her voice out of consideration for the people studying nearby describes courtesy. It does not have the contract-law meaning of an exchange.
In light of and given are often clearer substitutes when a circumstance is the reason for a decision. In exchange for is often clearer when describing a bargain. These alternatives do not cover every formal or legal use, but they can make ordinary writing more direct.
Origin and Register
Consideration entered English through Anglo-French, from Latin consideratio, meaning examination or reflection, related to considerare, “to consider” or “examine.” The English noun developed senses involving thought, attention, and regard. The phrase in consideration of uses the noun in a prepositional construction, and its exchange sense is established in formal and legal English.
The word and phrase are standard English. They are not informal slang, and there is no need to label them nonstandard. Their register is the important practical point: they are more at home in legal, administrative, or ceremonious writing than in casual conversation. The older history of the word does not mean every use is archaic; the phrase remains current, especially in formal documents.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming one meaning fits every context: Identify whether the sentence describes a factor being taken into account or an exchange between parties.
- Using it to mean “careful thought” by itself: Say give the proposal consideration or the proposal is under consideration for that meaning.
- Making casual writing unnecessarily stiff: Replace the phrase with because of, given, or in exchange for when those expressions say the intended meaning more plainly.
- Treating legal wording as a legal conclusion: A contract’s use of the term does not automatically prove that the arrangement is valid or enforceable.
A useful editing check is to replace the phrase temporarily with a plain-language alternative. If because of captures the sense, the sentence is about a circumstance. If in exchange for fits, the sentence describes a bargain. If neither fits, the writer may mean another sense of consideration and should revise for clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does in consideration of mean?
It can mean “taking into account” or “in view of,” and it can also mean “in exchange for.” The sentence and subject matter determine which meaning applies.
Is in consideration formal or informal?
It is standard English, but it usually sounds formal. It is especially common in legal and administrative writing; in casual speech, simpler alternatives are often more natural.
What does in consideration of mean in a contract?
It generally introduces something given or promised in exchange for another act, promise, or item of value. The legal effect depends on the applicable law and the full agreement, not just on that phrase.
Is in consideration of the same as under consideration?
No. In consideration of can refer to a factor or an exchange. Under consideration means that a matter is being reviewed or evaluated.
Can I say in consideration for?
People use in consideration for, particularly to emphasize what is received in return, but in consideration of is the more familiar formal construction. In plain writing, in exchange for is often clearer.
Choosing the Clearest Wording
Use in consideration of when its formal tone suits the situation and the intended meaning is unmistakable. In everyday explanations, choose given or because of for a relevant circumstance, and in exchange for for a bargain. In a contract, read the surrounding promises carefully and seek qualified legal advice for decisions about rights or obligations. That approach preserves the phrase’s useful formal meanings without making ordinary sentences harder to understand.