belonged to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "belonged to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate ownership or association with someone or something in various contexts. Example: "The book on the shelf belonged to my grandmother, and I cherish it deeply."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Guess who that belonged to?

The New York Times - Sports

The pen belonged to everyone.

The New York Times - Magazine

"It belonged to the state".

The New York Times

This country belonged to Bashar.

The New York Times

It belonged to Czarina Alexandra.

The New York Times - Arts

"It belonged to a judge.

The New York Times - Magazine

It belonged to someone else.

The New Yorker

Game 1 belonged to him.

The New York Times - Sports

The fight belonged to Douglas.

The Guardian - Sport

Omar belonged to their world.

The New Yorker

She belonged to our world.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "belonged to" to clearly indicate possession or membership, ensuring the context makes the relationship explicit. For example, "The award belonged to the team with the most innovative design".

Common error

Avoid using "belonged to" with ambiguous pronouns. Ensure it's clear who or what the subject "belonged to". For example, instead of "It belonged to them", specify "The house belonged to the family".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "belonged to" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating possession, ownership, or affiliation in the past tense. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in diverse contexts, such as indicating who owned an object or to which group someone was a member. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

18%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "belonged to" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase used to indicate past ownership, association, or affiliation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it finds application across diverse contexts, spanning from formal writing to casual conversation. Analysis of Ludwig's examples reveals its prevalence in News & Media, Science and Encyclopedias, denoting its broad applicability. Writers should ensure clarity by explicitly stating the subject to which something "belonged to". With its widespread acceptance and versatile usage, "belonged to" remains a reliable means of expressing past possession or membership.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was owned by

Replaces the phrase with a more direct statement of ownership.

was the property of

Indicates formal ownership or possession.

was part of

Suggests inclusion within a larger entity or group.

was associated with

Highlights a connection or relationship rather than direct ownership.

was connected to

Emphasizes a link or association.

was affiliated with

Implies a formal connection or membership.

was linked to

Focuses on the connection or association.

appertained to

A more formal and less common way of saying belonged to.

fell under the ownership of

Highlights the transfer or state of ownership.

was under the control of

Indicates control or authority rather than just ownership.

FAQs

How can I use "belonged to" in a sentence?

Use "belonged to" to indicate ownership or association. For instance, "The antique watch belonged to my grandfather", or "She belonged to a secret society".

What are some alternatives to "belonged to"?

Alternatives include "was owned by", "was the property of", or "was part of", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "belonged to" or "was belonging to"?

"Belonged to" is the correct past tense form. "Was belonging to" is grammatically incorrect as "belong" is a stative verb and not typically used in the continuous tense.

How does "belonged to" differ from "associated with"?

"Belonged to" indicates direct ownership or membership, while "was associated with" suggests a connection or relationship that may not involve ownership.