for the record

Meanings

prepositional phrase

idiomaticFor the purpose of being recorded, especially when already known.
I will ask you, for the record, to state your name and address.
2 more examples
Now, just for the record, you have served time for drug dealing, haven't you?
During brief courtroom appearances, Pattan restricted his comments for the record to “Guilty, sir” for each of the two counts of the indictment.
2004, John N. Maclean, Fire and Ashes: On the Front Lines Battling Wildfires, Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, page 13
broadlyidiomaticFor the purpose of following correct procedure, especially when otherwise redundant and repetitive.
I can definitely send you those documents, but you'll need to send the request in writing just for the record.
1 more example
The court almost certainly knows your answer to this already, but, for the record, do you plea guilty or not guilty?
idiomaticUsed to emphasize a point in an attempt to make it known or noticed.
For the record, I think these policies are weird and unnecessary.

Chinese Cantonese 利申

Finnish pöytäkirjaa varten, tiedoksenne

French pour mémoire, pour l'histoire

German fürs Protokoll

Hungarian hogy rögzítve legyen, hogy nyoma legyen

Indonesian sebagai catatan

Italian per la cronaca

Malay untuk rekod

Polish żeby nie było

Portuguese para que conste, só pra constar

Spanish que conste, para que conste

Cite this entry

APA

for the record. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20record

MLA

“for the record.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20record. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “for the record,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/for%20the%20record.