at last identified

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at last identified" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to something or someone that has finally been recognized or discovered after a period of uncertainty or searching. Example: "After months of investigation, the missing artifact was at last identified in a private collection."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Given its political influence 80% of Filipinos are Catholic and the church's call for civil disobedience in 1986 helped overthrow the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos many consider Mr Aquino's bold move to be suicidal.Others see it as a sign that he has at last identified an important issue to make his own.

The Economist

In March 2010 it was Arenal who gave Pepe Gonzalez the remains of his grandfather, at last identified after dying in Valdenoceda in 1941, and in Madrid on 30 June, when the remains of four more bodies from the prison will finally be returned to their families, his approving presence was surely still felt.

Independent

For him, the fact that his theory gave a straightforward explanation of the anomalous perihelion shift of the planet Mercury, discovered earlier by Urbain Le Verrier in 1859, was important evidence that he had at last identified the correct form of the gravitational field equations.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In Operation Mincemeat, Macintyre at last identifies the body as that of a Welsh drifter called Glyndwr Michael, who had been found dead in Kings Cross on 26 January 1943, evidently from drinking rat poison.

The Guardian - Books

But it is also being seen as a way to at last identify some among thousands of unidentified bodies, 40,000 by some estimates, that have been logged by coroners and medical examiners around the nation over decades.

The New York Times

Perhaps it is her contact with a living subject, perhaps it is Salter's wry, Delphic way with words, or the fact that he came close to death as a fighter pilot in Korea, but something is unlocked by their encounter and Roiphe at last identifies what her quest has been about – not death but the fear of death: "The knowing you are about to die.

The Guardian - Books

At KMH, the last identified geomagnetic jerk occurred during 2009 2010 with an amplitude of −18.6 nT/year2 (Kotzé and Korte 2016).

Earth, Planets and Space

In a statement on Saturday evening, Belgian prosecutors said Mohamed Abrini, 31, the last identified suspect at large from the Paris attacks on 13 November, had confessed to being the vest- and hat-wearing man whose video image had been widely circulated by authorities.

The Guardian

The ages of the groups of patients who were alive or dead were analysed at two points: (1) at the time of diagnosis of CSH and (2) on the date at which the patient was last identified.

BMJ Open

The last identified Native American presence at Swelter Shelter dated before 1200 A.D (14 ).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Although 25% of women sampled required tracing subsequent to a web-search completed in 2003, half were located by supplementing this search with: 1) the listed name for telephone numbers at last contact identified by a prior web-search (2001 feasibility pilot web-search), and using old telephone CD-ROMs, and 2) by broadening web-searches to capture relatives.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at last identified" to emphasize a sense of relief or culmination after a period of uncertainty or searching. It adds a touch of narrative to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "at last identified" in situations where a simple "identified" would suffice. Reserve it for cases where the identification was particularly challenging or long-awaited.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at last identified" functions as a past participle phrase, often used as part of a predicate or as a post-modifier in a noun phrase. Ludwig shows it's used to indicate a concluding action following a period of searching or uncertainty.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at last identified" is grammatically correct and functions to emphasize the conclusion of a search or investigative process. Ludwig indicates the phrase is used to highlight that something or someone has been recognized or discovered after a considerable period of searching or uncertainty. The usage ranges from neutral to formal, appearing in news, scientific, and general contexts. Though correct, as Ludwig AI points out, it should be reserved for situations where the identification was particularly challenging or long-awaited, avoiding overuse in simple contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

finally recognized

Replaces "at last identified" with a more common synonym for "identified".

ultimately discovered

Emphasizes the sense of discovery after a process, similar to "at last identified".

eventually determined

Focuses on the conclusion of a determination process.

subsequently found

Highlights the finding of something as a result of something else.

in the end recognized

Similar to "at last identified", but with a slightly different word order.

after a long search, identified

Emphasizes the prolonged search before identification.

after much investigation, identified

Highlights the investigative process leading to identification.

finally pinpointed

Suggests a precise identification after some effort.

lastly recognized

Similar to finally recognized.

in due course identified

Suggests that identification occurred at an appropriate time.

FAQs

What does "at last identified" mean?

The phrase "at last identified" signifies that something or someone has been recognized or discovered after a considerable period of searching or uncertainty.

How can I use "at last identified" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a discovery or recognition that occurred after a long time, such as, "After years of research, the cause of the disease was "finally identified"."

What are some alternatives to "at last identified"?

Some alternatives include "finally recognized", "ultimately discovered", or "eventually determined".

Is there a difference between "finally identified" and "at last identified"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "at last identified" often carries a stronger sense of relief or prolonged anticipation compared to "finally identified".