been through

USAGE SUMMARY

'been through' is correct and usable in written English.
It is the past participle of the verb "to go through," which means to experience. Example: I have been through many difficult situations in my life, but I always find a way to get through them.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General Conversation

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I've been through Iraq.

The New York Times

She's been through worse".

The Guardian

"They've been through it".

The New York Times

Everybody's been through it.

The New York Times

It's been through hell".

The New York Times

"We've been through blizzards.

The New Yorker

I've been through that.

The New York Times - Sports

He'd been through enough.

The New Yorker

We've been through it".

The New York Times

"I've been through this.

The New York Times - Sports

We've been through tornadoes.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "been through" to convey a sense of experience, often implying a difficult or transformative process. For example, "Having been through that experience, I understand your concerns."

Common error

Avoid using "been through" in contexts that require a different tense. For example, instead of "I will been through it", use "I will go through it".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been through" functions as a past participle phrase, typically used within perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, future perfect) to indicate that someone has experienced something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Sports

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "been through" is a grammatically sound and very common expression used to convey that someone has experienced something, frequently implying a difficult or transformative process. Ludwig AI validates its correctness. It is most prevalent in News & Media, Sports, and general conversational contexts. Related phrases offer alternative ways to express similar experiences, such as "experienced" or "lived through". When using "been through", ensure correct tense usage to avoid common errors. Its widespread use across various sources underscores its versatility in expressing past experiences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gone through

Similar in meaning, but presents the action in the present perfect tense.

lived through

Highlights survival or endurance of a difficult experience.

experienced

Focuses on the act of undergoing something, removing the sense of journey or process.

undergone

More formal synonym for experienced, implying a process or ordeal.

endured

Emphasizes the aspect of tolerating or bearing something painful or difficult.

faced

Highlights the act of confronting or dealing with something.

encountered

Focuses on the incidental or unexpected nature of an experience.

dealt with

Emphasizes the handling or management of a situation.

navigated

Implies a careful or skillful handling of a complex situation.

witnessed

Focuses on observing or seeing something happen, rather than directly experiencing it.

FAQs

How can I use "been through" in a sentence?

"Been through" is used to indicate that someone has experienced something. For example, "She has "been through" a lot in her life".

What's a more formal way to say "been through"?

Formal alternatives include "undergone" or "experienced", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "I have been through hell and back"?

Yes, the idiom "I have "been through" hell and back" is a common way to express having experienced extreme difficulties or hardships.

What's the difference between "went through" and "been through"?

"Went through" is the simple past tense, while ""been through"" is the past participle used in perfect tenses. "I went through a difficult time" refers to a specific past event, whereas "I have "been through" difficult times" refers to experiences over a period of time.