abandoned a while back

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "abandoned a while back" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was left behind or discontinued some time ago. Example: "The project was abandoned a while back due to lack of funding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Like a lot of people, I abandoned online grocery shopping a while back.

The New York Times - Tech

I'd readied the letter a while back, but the position Khatami took about Ganji made me abandon the idea of sending it".

The New Yorker

She stopped a while back".

The New Yorker

That rule was changed a while back.

The New York Times - Sports

"It was a while back there.

The New Yorker

"A while back".

The New Yorker

I quit a while back".

The Guardian

"We're extending, not reviving, a vocabulary that had been abandoned for a while," he explained.

The New Yorker

The athletes had just spent the night in the back of an abandoned truck while the temperature dropped to 38 degrees.

Huffington Post

After a while, come back.

WikiHow

But afterward, Apatow, who was working on "The Ben Stiller Show," abandoned standup for a while.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "abandoned a while back" to clearly indicate that something was deliberately stopped or left behind at a point in the past, differentiating it from temporary pauses or accidental omissions. Be sure that the context makes the past timeframe clear.

Common error

Avoid using "abandoned a while back" if the intention was to only temporarily pause something. The phrase suggests a more permanent decision to discontinue.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "abandoned a while back" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying when an action (abandoning) occurred. According to Ludwig AI, it describes something that was left behind or discontinued some time ago.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

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Wiki

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Science

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Less common in

Formal & Business

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Academia

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Encyclopedias

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "abandoned a while back" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate that something was discontinued or left behind some time ago. According to Ludwig AI, it is usable in written English, and other alternatives are available if the intended meaning requires a different nuance. While the phrase is easily understood in many contexts, it is rarely found in formal academic and scientific settings. Make sure that the context makes the past timeframe clear and avoid using it if the intention was to only temporarily pause something.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

discontinued some time ago

Emphasizes the cessation or termination of something at an earlier point.

left behind long ago

Focuses on the act of leaving something behind, with a stronger emphasis on the passage of time.

gave up on a while ago

Highlights the act of relinquishing or ceasing effort on something after some time.

stopped doing a while back

Specifically refers to the cessation of an activity or practice in the past.

shelved some time ago

Suggests a project or idea was put aside indefinitely.

dropped a while back

Informal way of saying something was discontinued or abandoned.

ceased some time ago

Formal way to state that something has stopped or ended in the past.

relinquished long ago

Emphasizes the act of giving something up, often with a sense of loss or regret.

no longer pursuing since then

Highlights the continued absence of pursuit after an initial abandonment.

discontinued in the past

Simply indicates a past discontinuation without emphasizing the duration.

FAQs

What does "abandoned a while back" mean?

It means that something was left behind or discontinued some time ago.

What can I say instead of "abandoned a while back"?

You can use alternatives like "discontinued some time ago", "left behind long ago", or "gave up on a while ago" depending on the context.

Is "abandoned a while back" formal or informal?

It leans towards informal usage but can be appropriate in neutral contexts as well.

How do I use "abandoned a while back" in a sentence?

For example, "The project was "abandoned a while back" due to lack of funding".