Is It Correct to Say “Courtesy Of”?

You’re telling someone who is responsible for something and thinking that “courtesy of” is the right way to do it. You’ve definitely heard that before, haven’t you? But now, you’re unsure and worried that you’ll say something incorrect and look uneducated.

This is a normal fear to have. In this post, we’ll tell you if “courtesy of” is correct to say.

Is It Correct to Say “Courtesy Of”?

“Courtesy of” is correct. The phrase indicates who should be thanked for something. For instance, “here is a pie, courtesy of my mother”. The phrase indicates that “my mother” is responsible for the pie being made. Thus, gratitude for the pie should be directed at her.

To be more specific, “courtesy” is “the showing of politeness in one’s attitude and behavior toward others”. So when you say “courtesy of”, you mean “this is a polite action of” someone. It tells someone who is responsible for an action.

Consider the following examples:

• Have a free cupcake, courtesy of our bakery.
• This gift is a courtesy of a charity organization.

A “courtesy” alone is a polite action. So “courtesy of” is “a polite action offered by” a particular group. Those groups are the bakery and the charity organization in the above examples. It’s both grammatically correct and correct English.

So, it is correct to say “courtesy of”. But if you aren’t comfortable with the phrase, there are other options. We’ve compiled a list of what to say instead of “courtesy of” in the section below.

Other Ways to Say “Courtesy Of”

Other ways to say “courtesy of” are “compliments of, offered by”, and “brought to you by”. These phrases all perform the same function as “courtesy of”, as they indicate who is offering a polite action. The context can change from phrase to phrase, but we’ll discuss that in more detail down below.

1. Compliments Of

“Compliments of” is a contextual synonym for “courtesy of”. Generally, something that is “complimentary” is free. However, “courtesy of” does not necessarily mean “free”, even though it can mean that.

So “compliments of” is a good synonym if something is free, but not a good synonym otherwise. 

• This meal is on the house, compliments of the chef.
• Your hotel visit is free, compliments of the manager.

Just because something polite is offered doesn’t mean it’s free. So “compliments of” cannot replace “courtesy of” in every situation.

2. Offered By

“Offered by” is another way to indicate who is responsible for a polite action. Therefore, it serves as a simple synonym for “courtesy of”. Note that something is not free just because it is offered, so this synonym works well in such contexts. After all, “courtesy of” doesn’t always mean free either.

• Dear Employees,
• This is a reminder that donuts and coffee are available in the break room, offered by our company free of charge. 
• Please, don’t hesitate to indulge yourself!
• Management

• Here’s a 50% discount on your next purchase, offered by our store.

3. Brought to You By

“Brought to you by” indicates who is responsible for something. This is the main purpose of “courtesy of”, so it’s a fitting synonym. This phrase is used when a person or group needs acknowledgment for their offerings. 

Those offerings don’t necessarily have to be free or even particularly kind. After all, bad things can be brought to you by someone as well. Still, as a synonym for “courtesy of”, this phrase is best used for things perceived as “good”.

• Dear Potential Customer,
• Please accept this coupon for a complimentary breakfast, brought to you by Generic Breakfast Restaurant!
• We hope to see you soon,
• The GBR Team

• This has been your daily weather report, brought to you by Channel 5.

4. At the Behest Of

“At the behest of” indicates who wanted to do something. So, if someone offers you a free drink, for instance, it is “at their behest”. This phrase works best when something is being directly offered to someone, and you need to indicate who wanted to offer the thing in question.

• Please accept this gift, at the behest of my mother.
• At the behest of the mayor, I offer you this check.

Like “courtesy of”, this phrase indicates who is responsible for an offering. The check is offered by the mayor, and the gift is offered by the mother. These are the people who offered the things in question, even if a third party is the one delivering them.

5. With the Help Of

“With the help of” is not a perfect synonym for “courtesy of”. However, it does work in some situations. “Courtesy of” generally indicates a single entity responsible for doing something. “With the help of” indicates that someone played a part in an action but is not solely responsible for it.

So, the phrase indicates that an entity played a part in a polite action, but they didn’t do it alone. It fits only in those situations.

• Dear Employees,
• With the help of the HR department, we’ve determined that everyone should have one extra sick day.
• Sincerely,
• Management

• With the help of the science teacher, I completed my project on time.

In these sentences, the “HR department” or “science teacher” is not solely responsible for the action. However, they played a part in it, so “with the help of” works as a synonym for “with the help of” in these cases.

6. By the Will Of

“By the will of” indicates who wants something to be done, so it serves as a synonym for “courtesy of” in this regard. Both phrases indicate who is responsible for an action, one is just wordier than the other.

• By the will of my father, I’m here to help.
• You are to receive $1,000 by the will of the court.

Both sentences indicate who is responsible for the action, just like “courtesy of”. However, we’d suggest using “courtesy of” instead since it’s more concise.

7. Thanks to

“Thanks to”, like “courtesy of”, indicates who or what is responsible for an action. It’s a great choice because the wording is very common and well-known by most English speakers. There’s little room for confusion with this phrase.

• Dear Sam,
• You’re getting a bonus this year, thanks to the manager’s positive review of your work.
• Have a happy holiday,
• HR

• Everyone will receive a stimulus check, thanks to the government.

“Thanks to” doesn’t have to refer to good things alone. It can be sarcastic too. For instance, you may “thank” someone ironically for a bad outcome. “Courtesy of” is usable in this way as well.

Does “Courtesy of” Mean “Free”?

 “Courtesy of” is often used in reference to something being offered to you for free. However, this is not always the case. “Courtesy of” just indicates who is responsible for offering something, and the thing being offered doesn’t have to be free.

For example, imagine that it is your birthday, and you go to a restaurant. Because it’s your birthday, you receive a dessert courtesy of the restaurant. This is free.

Now, imagine that there are cookies for sale outside of a grocery store, courtesy of the Girl Scouts of America. The Girl Scouts are responsible for the cookies being sold, but the cookies themselves are not free. 

“Courtesy of” indicates who is responsible for something, but it does not indicate whether or not something is free. That said, it is often used when referring to free things.

People will rarely use “courtesy of” to describe things that aren’t free. However, it is not incorrect to do so. Because of this, do not assume that “courtesy of” always means “free”.