been written off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been written off" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has been officially canceled or discounted, such as a debt or a loan. For example: "My student loan has been written off due to financial hardship."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He has been written off before.

The New York Times

Mrs Merkel has been written off before.

The Guardian - Opinion

How many times has Galloway's unsettling vision been written off?

Independent

(Her character, Kalinda, had been written off the show).

The New Yorker

But Duncan and the Spurs have been written off before.

The New York Times

Wall Street's rocket scientists have been written off before.

The New York Times

He has been written off too many times.

The New York Times - Sports

Only £40m has been written off, he says.

The Guardian

Even Wren had been written off by the Palladians.

The Guardian - Arts

The Bush campaign's answer: "Nothing's been written off".

The New York Times

The money, which has since been written off, went through.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "been written off" in financial contexts, clarify whether it refers to an asset, debt, or expense. For instance, specify if it's "a bad debt that has been written off" or "depreciated asset that has been written off."

Common error

Avoid using "been written off" when you need the noun form, which is "write-off". For example, use "the debt was a write-off" instead of "the debt was been written off".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been written off" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject has received the action of being written off. Ludwig examples show it applied to debts, projects, and even people, signifying dismissal or cancellation. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

17%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "been written off" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression widely used to indicate that something has been dismissed as a loss or failure. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, it appears frequently in news, business, and scientific contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's acceptability for describing canceled debts or discounted items. When using "been written off", remember to maintain clarity regarding what exactly has been written off to prevent ambiguity. Consider related phrases like "dismissed as insignificant" or "underestimated" for nuanced alternatives. Overall, understanding the contexts and appropriate usage ensures effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

canceled

Emphasizes the act of officially terminating a debt or a project

written off as a loss

Specifically refers to acknowledging something as irrecoverable or unachievable.

deemed a failure

Focuses on the judgment of something not meeting expectations.

dismissed as insignificant

Emphasizes the act of regarding something as unimportant or negligible.

counted out

Suggests a belief that someone or something no longer has a chance of success.

given up on

Highlights the act of ceasing to support or believe in someone or something.

underestimated

Highlights a failure to recognize the true potential or value.

no longer considered viable

Indicates that something is no longer practical or likely to succeed.

regarded as hopeless

Implies a pessimistic view with no expectation of positive outcomes.

disregarded

Focuses on the act of ignoring or paying no attention to something.

FAQs

How can I use "been written off" in a sentence?

You can use "been written off" to indicate that something has been deemed a loss, canceled, or disregarded. For example, "The project had "been written off" due to budget constraints."

What's a more formal alternative to "been written off"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "deemed unrecoverable" or "recognized as a loss" instead of ""been written off"".

Is it correct to say "was written off" instead of "been written off"?

Both "was written off" and ""been written off"" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Was written off" implies a single past action, while "been written off" suggests a state resulting from a past action.

What does it mean when something has "been written off" in accounting?

In accounting, if something has ""been written off"", it means its value has been reduced to zero and it's no longer considered an asset on the balance sheet. This often happens with bad debts or depreciated assets.