been acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the context of discussing ownership or possession, often in business or legal contexts, to indicate that something has been obtained or purchased. Example: "The company has been acquired by a larger corporation, which will help expand its market reach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

It has been acquired by Universal.

The New York Times

Others have since been acquired.

The New York Times

Each had been acquired by trade.

The Washington Post

(Keebler has since been acquired by Kellogg).

The New York Times

The organization had been acquired by a global major.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

How many times has NAIP been acquired for California?

University of California, Berkeley

(It had been acquired by France's King Francis I).

The New York Times - Books

Each of the networks has been acquired in recent years.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

has been acquiring & asserting authority.

The New Yorker

could be acquired by Vodafone.

The New York Times

Both are acquired tastes.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "been acquired", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what did the acquiring and what was acquired. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid overusing the passive voice with "been acquired" if it obscures the actor. Actively stating who acquired something can make your writing more direct and impactful. For example, instead of "The company has been acquired", consider "Amazon acquired the company."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been acquired" functions as a passive construction, indicating that a subject has undergone the action of being obtained or taken over. Ludwig shows that it's often used to describe corporate mergers, acquisitions of property, or the obtaining of rights.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

28%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "been acquired" is a passive construction used to indicate that something has changed ownership or possession. As Ludwig AI illustrates, it appears frequently in news and business contexts, conveying information about corporate actions, property transactions, and the gaining of rights. While grammatically correct and very common, it's important to ensure clarity by specifying who or what did the acquiring. Alternatives like "was purchased" or "was obtained" can offer nuanced expressions, yet "been acquired" remains a precise and professional choice for communicating transfers of ownership.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was purchased

Focuses on the act of buying, emphasizing the commercial aspect of the transaction.

was obtained

Indicates a more general sense of gaining possession, not necessarily through purchase.

was taken over

Suggests a more forceful or dominant acquisition, implying a change in control.

was procured

Implies careful or deliberate acquisition, often for a specific purpose.

came into possession

A formal way of indicating that something is now owned or controlled.

changed hands

An idiomatic expression indicating a transfer of ownership.

was secured

Suggests that the acquisition was difficult or competitive.

was assumed

Implies taking on responsibility or control.

was inherited

Indicates that possession was gained through inheritance.

was earned

Focuses on gaining something through effort or merit.

FAQs

How is "been acquired" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "been acquired" is used to indicate that something has been obtained or purchased by someone or something else. For instance, "The startup has "been acquired" by a larger corporation."

What's a simple alternative to "been acquired"?

A simpler alternative to "been acquired" is "was bought". For example, instead of saying "The company has "been acquired"", you can say "The company "was bought"".

Which is more formal, "been acquired" or "was bought"?

"Been acquired" tends to be more formal than "was bought". "Been acquired" is often used in business or legal contexts, while "was bought" is more commonly used in everyday conversation. For example, "The land "was bought" for development" vs "The rights have "been acquired" by the corporation".

Can I use "been acquired" to describe gaining knowledge or skills?

While "acquire" can mean to gain knowledge or skills, "been acquired" typically refers to gaining ownership or possession of something tangible or intangible, such as a company or rights. To describe gaining knowledge, you could use phrases like "learned" or "gained expertise".