external factor
Outside influence
Use it to describe outside forces that impact your goals without sounding like you're making excuses.
In 15 Sekunden
- Something outside your control that changes your current situation.
- Commonly used in business, science, and serious daily explanations.
- A polite way to explain why plans changed unexpectedly.
Bedeutung
An 'external factor' is something from the outside world that changes your situation. It is a force you cannot control, like the weather or a sudden law change.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Explaining a business loss
Our sales dropped, but it was mostly due to an external factor: the new tax law.
Our sales dropped, but it was mostly due to an outside influence: the new tax law.
Talking about a sports game
The wind was a major external factor in today's match.
The wind was a major outside influence in today's match.
Discussing a breakup
We didn't fight; it was just external factors like our jobs that pulled us apart.
We didn't fight; it was just outside influences like our jobs that pulled us apart.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The phrase gained massive popularity in the 20th century through the rise of 'SWOT analysis' in business. It reflects a Western cultural obsession with identifying risks and managing variables. In many English-speaking corporate cultures, identifying an 'external factor' is a standard way to deflect personal blame during performance reviews.
Sound Like a Pro
Use this phrase when you want to sound objective. Instead of saying 'bad luck,' say 'unforeseen external factors.' It makes you sound like a strategist.
Don't Overuse It
If you use this for every mistake, people will think you are avoiding responsibility. Use it only for things that truly are outside your control.
In 15 Sekunden
- Something outside your control that changes your current situation.
- Commonly used in business, science, and serious daily explanations.
- A polite way to explain why plans changed unexpectedly.
What It Means
Think of your life as a movie. You are the star and the director. But sometimes, it starts raining on your outdoor set. That rain is an external factor. It is something that happens outside of your own choices or actions. It impacts your results but isn't your fault. In business, it might be a market crash. In your personal life, it might be a train delay. It is the 'wild card' of life.
How To Use It
You use this phrase when you want to explain why something happened. It helps you point to reasons outside of yourself. You can say, "The project failed due to an external factor." It sounds smart and objective. You can also use it to stay humble. If you succeed, you might say external factors helped you out. It is a very flexible noun phrase. You can pair it with verbs like consider, analyze, or blame.
When To Use It
Use it in a meeting when the numbers look bad. It is perfect for explaining a late arrival to a party. "The traffic was an external factor!" Use it when discussing politics or the economy. It is great for scientific reports or school essays. It shows you are looking at the big picture. It is also useful when you want to stop feeling guilty about a mistake. Sometimes, things are just out of your hands.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it to hide your own lazy mistakes. If you forgot your homework, don't call it an external factor. Your teacher will see right through that! Avoid it in very romantic or deep emotional moments. Telling your partner your love is influenced by external factors sounds like a robot wrote it. Keep it away from high-energy slang sessions with teenagers. It might sound a bit too 'academic' for a rowdy football game.
Cultural Background
This phrase comes from the world of logic and economics. Western culture loves to categorize things into 'internal' and 'external'. We like to know who is responsible for what. In the US and UK, people often use this in legal or business settings. It is part of a mindset that tries to control the environment. If we can name the external factor, we feel like we understand the world better. It’s a way to bring order to chaos.
Common Variations
You will often hear outside influences or environmental factors. People also say extenuating circumstances in legal settings. In casual talk, you might hear things beyond my control. If you want to sound very professional, use macro-environmental factors. But for 90% of situations, external factor is your best friend. It is the goldilocks of phrases—not too simple, not too complex.
Nutzungshinweise
This phrase is neutral to formal. It is highly effective in professional writing and 'smart' casual conversation, but can sound cold if used to describe personal relationships.
Sound Like a Pro
Use this phrase when you want to sound objective. Instead of saying 'bad luck,' say 'unforeseen external factors.' It makes you sound like a strategist.
Don't Overuse It
If you use this for every mistake, people will think you are avoiding responsibility. Use it only for things that truly are outside your control.
The 'Act of God' Connection
In insurance and law, an 'external factor' like an earthquake is often called an 'Act of God.' It's the ultimate version of this phrase!
Beispiele
6Our sales dropped, but it was mostly due to an external factor: the new tax law.
Our sales dropped, but it was mostly due to an outside influence: the new tax law.
Used here to shift responsibility from the team to the government.
The wind was a major external factor in today's match.
The wind was a major outside influence in today's match.
Refers to the weather affecting the players' performance.
We didn't fight; it was just external factors like our jobs that pulled us apart.
We didn't fight; it was just outside influences like our jobs that pulled us apart.
Used to describe life circumstances rather than personal flaws.
I'm late because a cute dog on the sidewalk was a distracting external factor.
I'm late because a cute dog on the sidewalk was a distracting outside influence.
Using a formal term for a silly reason creates humor.
Flight delayed again. Just another external factor ruining my weekend!
Flight delayed again. Just another outside influence ruining my weekend!
Expressing frustration about things out of one's control.
Researchers must account for every external factor to ensure the data is accurate.
Researchers must account for every outside influence to ensure the data is accurate.
Standard usage in scientific or academic contexts.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the best word to complete the sentence about a failed picnic.
The sudden thunderstorm was an ___ that ruined our outdoor lunch.
A thunderstorm comes from the environment, not from your own choices, making it 'external'.
Complete the sentence to sound professional in a meeting.
We achieved our goals despite several negative ___ in the market.
'External factors' is the most professional and precise term for market conditions.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of 'External Factor'
Used as a joke or a smart-sounding excuse.
The pizza delivery guy was an external factor in my diet failure.
Standard daily conversation about news or work.
The economy is a huge external factor for small businesses.
Scientific papers, legal documents, and corporate reports.
The study controlled for external factors such as temperature.
When to use 'External Factor'
Job Interview
Explaining a gap in your resume.
Weather report
Describing why a flight was cancelled.
Science Lab
Discussing variables in an experiment.
Financial News
Talking about how oil prices affect stocks.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is something that happens outside of you or your organization that changes your plans. For example, bad weather is an external factor for a wedding.
They are very similar, but external factor sounds more scientific or professional. You'd use outside influence more when talking about people's opinions.
Yes, a competitor or a government official can be an external factor in your business plan. It refers to anyone outside your immediate control.
It is slightly formal, but you can use it with friends to be funny. For example, "I couldn't finish my workout because the couch was a strong external factor."
The opposite is an internal factor. This refers to things you can control, like your own effort or your company's budget.
You could say, "The rise in interest rates is an external factor that affects housing prices." This shows the cause and effect clearly.
No, you can use external factor (singular) or external factors (plural). Use the plural when there are many different outside forces at play.
Not necessarily. An external factor can be positive, like a sudden sunny day or an unexpected gift from the government.
Yes! It’s a great way to explain challenges. Say, "We faced several external factors, but we adapted our strategy to succeed."
Yes, it is used globally in English-speaking countries, especially in business and education. There are no major regional differences.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Environmental factor
Something in the physical or social surroundings that causes a change.
Beyond one's control
A common way to say you cannot change the situation.
Extenuating circumstances
Specific external factors that make a mistake or crime seem less bad.
Outside influence
Pressure or impact coming from people or things outside a group.
Kommentare (0)
Zum Kommentieren AnmeldenStarte kostenlos mit dem Sprachenlernen
Kostenlos Loslegen