"Run something by someone," "clear it with someone," and "get sign-off from someone" are often treated as roughly interchangeable checking-in phrases. They aren't -- each implies a different level of obligation, and using the wrong one either overstates or understates what's actually required.
"Run something by someone" is the lightest: an informal check inviting a reaction or go-ahead, which the other person could still push back on. "Clear it with someone" is heavier: it implies you need their formal permission or authority before proceeding. "Get sign-off from someone" is heaviest: it implies a formal, often documented or logged approval step.
The same idea, three levels of obligation
Lightest: "Let me run this by the design lead before I finalize it." (a reaction, not a requirement)
Middle: "I need to clear this with legal before we send it." (permission required)
Heaviest: "We can't launch until we get sign-off from compliance." (a documented approval gate)
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Start learning for free →Swapping the wrong phrase into the wrong situation causes real problems. Saying "I ran it by legal" when a regulatory filing actually needed formal, logged approval understates what happened and can leave a gap nobody notices until it matters. Saying "I need to clear this with the team" for a decision fully within your own authority overstates a requirement that doesn't exist.
How to tell which one you need
Ask whether the other person's answer is a reaction, a permission, or a documented approval. If they could say "looks good" or "I'd tweak this" and either answer is fine, you're running it by them. If you genuinely cannot proceed without their yes, you're clearing it with them. If the yes needs to be recorded somewhere -- a contract, a compliance filing, a formal review process -- you need sign-off.
The rule
Match the phrase to the actual stakes: "run something by" for an informal check that invites input, "clear it with" when you need someone's permission to proceed, and "get sign-off from" when the situation requires a formal, documented approval.
Practice scenarios
Practice choosing among run something by, clear it with, and get sign-off from in situations like:
- checking a draft informally versus needing formal legal permission
- describing a compliance-bound decision that requires a documented approval
- catching a moment where "run by" understates what the situation actually required
Useful practice phrases:
- "Let me run this by you before I finalize it."
- "I need to clear this with legal first."
- "We can't proceed without sign-off from compliance."
Three checking-in phrases, three different levels of obligation -- match the words to the actual stakes.
Lyra Practice helps advanced non-native English professionals learn the nuance of high-value workplace expressions and practice using them in realistic scenarios, so their English sounds natural, precise, and senior at work. Try Lyra Practice.