become public knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "become public knowledge" is grammatically correct and is commonly used in written English.
Example: The celebrity's scandalous affair became public knowledge when it was leaked to the media.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

A French appeal court judgment agreed that the Paris-Match article had caused Albert irreversible damage because the fact of his fatherhood, which was secret until the article's publication, had become public knowledge against his wishes.

The Guardian

Seemingly, instances of bad behavior by our government institutions become public knowledge only when an outraged employee publicizes them.

Huffington Post

"We may not be able to control or stop Snapchat from becoming the preferred application of use by these groups, which may become public knowledge and seriously harm our reputation or lead to lawsuits or attention from regulators".

TechCrunch

By hook or by crook, ratings would become public knowledge.

The Economist

By then, it had become public knowledge that Ashcroft was a non-dom.

Independent

All the secrets, all the whispered moments of intimacy you ever enjoyed together, will become public knowledge.

The Guardian - Opinion

The force's reputation may have suffered immense damage had the meeting become public knowledge at the time.

The Guardian

I understand not everyone will feel as I did, and not everyone wants such private matters to become public knowledge.

The Guardian - Opinion

Because of the Official Secrets Act, his code-breaking did not become public knowledge until twenty years after his suicide.

Independent

Only with the publication of this book did the existence of the archive, and Mitrokhin's escape to Britain, become public knowledge.

The Guardian

The scandal could have brought Harding's administration to its knees, had he not died of a heart attack in 1923 before much of it had become public knowledge.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "become public knowledge" when emphasizing the transition of information from a state of secrecy or limited access to widespread awareness. For instance, "The details of the negotiation only became public knowledge after the agreement was signed."

Common error

While "become public knowledge" is acceptable in many situations, avoid overuse in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more precise alternatives like "was disclosed" or "was revealed" for a more refined tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become public knowledge" functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating that a piece of information has transitioned from being private or restricted to being generally known. Ludwig confirms this through numerous examples of its usage in varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "become public knowledge" is a grammatically sound and versatile phrase used to describe the transition of information from secrecy to widespread awareness. Ludwig's analysis, along with numerous examples from reputable sources, indicates its common usage across news, science and general contexts. While versatile, it's best to choose synonyms such as "be revealed to the public" or "come to light" for added precision or stylistic variation in formal writing. Ludwig AI confirms that the expression is grammatically correct and provides plenty of real examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be revealed to the public

Focuses on the act of revealing something, emphasizing the transition from hidden to known.

come to light

Emphasizes the discovery of something previously hidden or unknown.

be made known

A more formal way of saying something has become public, highlighting the act of informing.

be disclosed

Implies a more official or formal release of information.

be unveiled

Suggests a grander, more theatrical reveal of information.

leak out

Implies that the information was released unofficially or accidentally.

get out

A more informal way of saying information has become public, often implying it was meant to be secret.

be disseminated

Focuses on the wide distribution of information to the public.

be promulgated

Suggests an official and widespread announcement or publication.

go viral

Specifically refers to information spreading rapidly and widely online.

FAQs

How can I use "become public knowledge" in a sentence?

You can use "become public knowledge" to describe when something that was once secret or private is now known by many people. For example, "The company's financial troubles "came to light" when the information "became public knowledge".

What's a more formal alternative to "become public knowledge"?

In more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "was disclosed", "was revealed", or "was made known" instead of "become public knowledge".

Is it correct to say "became public knowledge" or should I use another tense?

Both "become public knowledge" (present tense) and "became public knowledge" (past tense) are grammatically correct, depending on the context. Use the past tense when referring to something that has already happened: "The scandal "became public knowledge" last week."

What is the difference between "become public knowledge" and "enter the public domain"?

"Become public knowledge" refers to information that is now widely known. "Enter the public domain" specifically refers to creative works (like books or music) whose copyright has expired and are now free for anyone to use.