Proxy: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when someone is authorized to act on behalf of another person, often in legal, financial, or technical contexts.

• She gave her brother a proxy to vote on her behalf.
• The proxy server helps to improve internet security.

Used when referring to someone who helps to facilitate an agreement or understanding between parties, often in formal or diplomatic contexts.

• The diplomat acted as an intermediary to ease tensions between the countries.
• They hired an intermediary to mediate the contract negotiations.

Used when referring to a person or business that buys goods from producers and sells them to consumers, often with a negative connotation implying added cost or inefficiency.

• The middleman takes a large cut from the sale of the products.
• By cutting out the middleman, we can reduce our expenses.

Used when someone acts as a messenger or mediator in dealings between two parties, often in informal or personal situations.

• He acted as a go-between to help them resolve their disagreements.
• Jenny served as a go-between during their negotiations.

Used when someone is given authority to act on behalf of another, especially in formal or official matters.

• I will vote by proxy at the meeting because I can't attend in person.
• He served as a proxy for his boss during the negotiations.

Used to describe someone who speaks or acts on behalf of a group, company, or organization, often in a more general or everyday context.

• The sales representative will visit our office tomorrow.
• He is the official representative of the employees.

Commonly used in formal contexts or organizations, where someone is designated to represent a group or individual in meetings, conferences, or events.

• Each country sent a delegate to the international summit.
• She was chosen as a delegate to represent the student body.

Used when someone takes the place of another temporarily, often in situations like schools, sports, or temporary job replacements.

• The teacher was sick, so a substitute took her class today.
• We need a substitute player for the football match tomorrow.

Used when someone is authorized to act on behalf of another person or entity, often in legal or business contexts.

• I need to assign a proxy to vote for me at the shareholders' meeting.
• She serves as his proxy, signing documents and making decisions in his absence.

Describes something situated between two points in terms of time, space, or degree, or someone acting as a mediator.

• The course is designed for intermediate students who have basic knowledge but are not yet advanced.
• The negotiations required an intermediate to resolve the differences between the parties.

Describes someone or something that takes the place of another, typically temporarily. It can have a slightly informal or negative connotation.

• If the teacher is sick, a substitute will take her classes.
• He couldn't make it to the meeting, so I had to find a substitute speaker.

Used when someone is acting on behalf of another person, group, or organization, often in legal, political, or official contexts.

• She was chosen to represent the company at the international conference.
• In court, an attorney will represent you and defend your rights.