“In Light of Recent Events” – Meaning & Correct Usage

Have you ever seen or heard the phrase “In Light of Recent Events” and wondered what it meant and if it was being used correctly?

In serious settings or a casual conversation, that’s a nice phrase to have on your portfolio. Let’s find out its meaning and correct usage.

What Does “In Light of Recent Events” Mean?

“In Light of Recent Events” helps express the reason why a certain thing has happened. Instead of saying “because of this, that event occurred”, people say that something occurred “In Light of Recent Events”. It’s a beautiful, polished way to provide the context of why a decision was made.

in light of recent events

Let’s see some examples that will help us make sense of how this expression works:

  • In light of recent events, I’ve decided to take some time off.
  • The government’s stance was expected, in light of recent events.

“In Light of Recent Events” provides the backdrop to fully understand the information given in the sentence. It’s a very useful tool when you need to explain why something happened or why a decision was made.

Imagine you found yourself in the same situation described in the first sentence of the examples. If you tell a boss, a coworker, or a family member that you’ve decided to take time off, it’s quite likely that they’ll ask you why, and a long conversation might ensue.

If you come to the table objectively and say that “In Light of Recent Events” you’ve decided to take time off, the person you’re interacting with will immediately know your reasons.

With the use of “In Light of Recent Events” the chances of having to provide more information diminish considerably and you may be able to avoid a long conversation to explain yourself.

How to Use “In Light of Recent Events” In a Sentence

You can use “In Light of Recent Events” every time an explanation or clarification is needed for the information you’re trying to provide. It works as a background, setting the scene so that what you’re saying makes sense and is understood by your audience.

“In Light of Recent Events” can be used at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle of it. It’s up to you to choose how to construct your sentence. Also, you can use this phrase both in casual and formal conversations.

Take a look at some helpful examples below:

  1. In light of recent events, we will have to cancel tonight’s event.
  2. We will be scheduling daily team meetings, in light of recent events.
  3. In light of recent events, the project will be postponed indefinitely
  4. In light of recent events, Sarah decided to take some time away from school to spend with family.
  5. In light of recent events, Jake has moved back home.

Variations of “In Light of Recent Events”

“In Light of Recent Events” is a phrase that’s been around for a very long time (centuries, actually, according to some sources).

It has changed over time and adapted to different ways of being applied to people’s communications. Consequently, it has many variations – all of which mean the same thing and serve the same purpose.

You can choose the form you’re more comfortable with. Let’s see some of those variations:

  • In light of current events
  • In light of the news
  • In light of events as of late
  • In light of new developments

“In Light of Recent Events” – Synonyms

If you think that “In Light of Recent Events” isn’t the best phrase for you, but you’d still like to convey the same meaning, there are synonyms you can utilize.

They’re all expressions and phrases that can create the same context, and help you illustrate the reasons why a certain event took place. Take a look:

  • Due to recent events
  • As of late
  • Due to new developments
  • Due to new information
  • Recently
  • In recent times
  • After careful consideration

Final Thoughts

“In Light of Recent Events” is a way to illustrate that a decision was made, or an event took place because of something that’s happening right now. In other words, because of the background information, something happened. “In Light of Recent Events” is grammatically correct and you should use it.