Guide 191 / 200 4 alternatives 2-minute read
Better ways to say “vis-à-vis”
French for "face-to-face" — now a preposition that usually means "regarding" or "compared with".
i · Why avoid itTwo lines, no filler
Originally described two people seated facing each other (or a carriage so designed). In English it drifts between "concerning" and "in relation to," which blurs meaning. Pick the plain preposition you mean.
ii · Before & afterDrop-in demo
Before
Our position vis-à-vis the competition has improved.
After
Our position compared with the competition has improved.
iii · The alternatives4 ways out
- 01Compared with neutral
explicit comparison
Our position compared with competitors.
- 02Regarding neutral
topic marker
Our policy regarding remote work.
- 03Concerning formal
formal topic marker
Concerning the competition, we lead.
- 04Relative to neutral
benchmark comparison
Relative to the market, we outperformed.
iv · Brew tipKeep this one
Pick the preposition you actually mean: "about", "against", "compared with".