student asking question

What is the difference between "unleash something upon us" and "unleash something on us"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Upon" and "on" are prepositions with the same meaning, and can almost always be used interchangeably. However, "upon" is more formal, and there are some cases where "on" cannot be used to replace "upon." In this case, it has been used in "unleash something upon us" to sound more formal and indicate that something significant is to happen (upcoming calamity). Thus, "upon" is more appropriate in this context than "on." Ex: New Year's is almost upon us. Ex: Once upon a time, there lived a family. Ex: The book is on the table. Ex: My career depends on this promotion.

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