For vs. Per — What's the Difference?

Indicates purpose or reason.

Used to express a rate or ratio.

Used to indicate duration of time.

Indicates distribution among a number.

Expresses an exchange or transaction.

Often used in measurements and standards.

Implies a benefit or suitability.

Implies accordance with a rule or standard.

Can signify intended recipients.

Used to denote frequency within a time frame.

Used to indicate the object, aim, or purpose of an action or activity

For each (used with units to express a rate)

Used to indicate a destination

By means of

Used to indicate the object of a desire, intention, or perception

Divided by a line in the direction of

Used to indicate the recipient or beneficiary of an action

To, for, or by each; for every

On behalf of

According to; by

In favor of

By means of; through.

In place of

For each one; apiece

Used to indicate equivalence or equality

Per hour

Used to indicate correlation or correspondence

For each.

Used to indicate amount, extent, or duration

To each, in each (used in expressing ratios of units).

Used to indicate a specific time

(medicine) By the, by means of the, via the, through the.

Used to indicate a number of attempts

In accordance with, as per

As being

They singular. Gender-neutral neologistic third-person singular subject pronoun, coordinate with gendered pronouns she.}}

Used to indicate an actual or implied listing or choosing

Them singular Neologistic gender-neutral third-person singular object pronoun, suggested for use in place of her.}}

As a result of; because of

Belonging to per, their singular. Gender-neutral third-person singular possessive adjective, coordinate with gendered her.}}

Used to indicate appropriateness or suitability

Through; by means of; through the agency of; by; for; for each; as, per annum; per capita, by heads, or according to individuals; per curiam, by the court; per se, by itself, of itself. Per is also sometimes used with English words.

Notwithstanding; despite

As regards; concerning

Considering the nature or usual character of

In honor of

Because; since.

Because of this; for this reason.

Because, as, since.

Towards; in the direction of.

Directed at; intended to belong to.

In order to help, benefit, gratify, honor etc. (someone or something).

To be used or treated in a stated way, or with a stated purpose.

Supporting, in favour of.

Because of.

Intended to cure, remove or counteract; in order to cure, remove or counteract.

Over (a period of time).

Throughout or across (a distance in space).

Used to introduce a subject within a to-infinitive clause.

On behalf of.

In the role or capacity of; instead of; in place of.

In exchange for; in correspondence or equivalence with.

In order to obtain or acquire.

By the standards of, usually with the implication that those standards are lower than one might otherwise expect; considering.

To be, or as being.

(usually in the phrase 'for all') Despite, in spite of.

Indicating something desired or anticipated.

(in expressions such as 'for a start') Introducing the first item(s) in a potential sequence.

In honor of; after.

Due or facing (a certain outcome or fate).

Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio

(cricket) Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen.

(obsolete) Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.

Used in various more-or-less idiomatic ways to construe individual verbs, indicating various semantic relationships such as target, purpose, result, etc.; see also the entries for individual phrasal verbs, e.g. ask for, look for, stand for, etc.

(nonstandard) So (that), in order to

In the most general sense, indicating that in consideration of, in view of, or with reference to, which anything is done or takes place.

Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done.

Indicating the remoter and indirect object of an act; the end or final cause with reference to which anything is, acts, serves, or is done.

Indicating that in favor of which, or in promoting which, anything is, or is done; hence, in behalf of; in favor of; on the side of; - opposed to against.

Indicating that toward which the action of anything is directed, or the point toward which motion is made; ntending to go to.

Indicating that on place of or instead of which anything acts or serves, or that to which a substitute, an equivalent, a compensation, or the like, is offered or made; instead of, or place of.

Indicating that in the character of or as being which anything is regarded or treated; to be, or as being.

Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is; hence, equivalent to notwithstanding, in spite of; - generally followed by all, aught, anything, etc.

Indicating the space or time through which an action or state extends; hence, during; in or through the space or time of.

Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.

Because; by reason that; for that; indicating, in Old English, the reason of anything.

Since; because; introducing a reason of something before advanced, a cause, motive, explanation, justification, or the like, of an action related or a statement made. It is logically nearly equivalent to since, or because, but connects less closely, and is sometimes used as a very general introduction to something suggested by what has gone before.

One who takes, or that which is said on, the affrimative side; that which is said in favor of some one or something; - the antithesis of against, and commonly used in connection with it.

"Per" is commonly used to express a rate, ratio, or proportion, especially in quantitative contexts.

"They rented a cabin for the weekend" is an example where "for" indicates a duration of time.

"Per" is used in measurements to indicate a rate or proportion, such as "55 miles per hour."

"Per" relates to distribution by indicating how something is divided or allocated among a number, like "one item per person."

Yes, "for" can imply a benefit, as in "This exercise is good for your health."

"Per" is used in the context of standards to denote compliance or adherence ("Per regulations, safety gear is required").

Yes, "for" can denote intention, as in "The letter is for informing the committee."

"For" and "per" cannot typically be used interchangeably due to their distinct meanings and usage contexts.

"For" in transactions indicates what is being exchanged, as in "I sold the painting for $100."

"For" can indicate purpose, duration, exchange, or the intended recipient of an action or object in a sentence.

"For" can express relationships such as cause, benefit, or representation ("She speaks for the team").

An example would be "The printer can print 20 pages per minute," indicating a ratio.

"Per" can imply frequency within a specific time frame, like "twice per week."

Yes, "for" is frequently used to express durations or periods of time ("I've lived here for five years").

"Per" is used to signify accordance with a rule or guideline, such as "per the agreement."