Phrasal verb
put sth forward
Definition
phrasal verb. to suggest an idea, plan, or person so that other people can consider or discuss them.
phrasal verb. to propose a theory, suggestion, or candidate for consideration; often used in formal or professional contexts to initiate a debate or selection process.
Examples
“She put forward a new plan for the project.”
“During the meeting, several members put forward interesting ideas for the upcoming charity event.”
“The committee decided to put forward his name as a potential candidate for the directorship despite his lack of seniority.”
Examples
simple
“She put forward a new plan for the project.”
contextual
“During the meeting, several members put forward interesting ideas for the upcoming charity event.”
complex
“The committee decided to put forward his name as a potential candidate for the directorship despite his lack of seniority.”
Usage
the object is usually an abstract noun like 'idea', 'suggestion', or 'theory', or a person's name.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'propose' (more formal) and 'suggest' (more general); note that 'put forward' is common in academic and business writing to introduce hypotheses.
Pitfall
He put forward to the idea.
He put forward the idea.
the verb is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
forward
Separability
optional
Pattern
put (+ object) + forward (+ object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/put-sth-forward