developed the flu

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "developed the flu" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone who has contracted the influenza virus. Example: "After spending time with her sick friend, she developed the flu and had to take a week off work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Of the placebo group, 4.4% developed the flu, compared with only 0.4% of the treatment group.

Harvard University

On the first day, he was the patient, having developed the flu and forcing himself out of the march so he could sleep it off and catch up later.

The Washington Post

In another questionable case, the Vietnamese government's assertion that a man developed the flu 16 days after eating raw duck-blood pudding was publicly ridiculed by a prominent flu specialist at Hong Kong University, who said it was more likely that he got it from his sick brother.

The New York Times

So far, none of us has developed the flu.

Huffington Post

Eighteen of the children taking vitamin D developed the flu, compared to 31 children not taking the vitamin, a risk reduction of 58percentt.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Then, the research staff is programmed to receive, following and testing you to see if you actually develop the flu and flu symptoms.

Forbes

That's why virologists put so much effort into developing the flu vaccine.

Los Angeles Times

A scientist at the University of Wisconsin known for his edgy influenza research, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, developed the H1N1 flu virus strain — also known as the swine flu — to evade immune protection, which humans tend to develop as a virus persists in nature.

Vice

Of the 160 health workers there, 53, or 33percentt, developed the summer flu.

The New York Times - Science

When Albert was a toddler, he developed the stomach flu, a common ailment for a young child.

Huffington Post

Building on the Canning Data Extraction Tool, we developed the Canning Flu Tool to conduct automated searches and extractions of both coded and free-text fields from two of the most commonly used GP medical record packages used in Australia (Best Practice and Medical Director 3).

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add nuance, use synonyms like "contracted", "caught", or "succumbed" to subtly alter the tone or emphasis of your writing when describing someone getting the flu.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses when describing the onset and duration of the flu. For example, don't start with "developed the flu" (past tense) and then switch to present tense when describing symptoms.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "developed the flu" functions as a verb phrase indicating the onset or contraction of influenza. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, showcasing how it connects an individual to the experience of acquiring the illness, as demonstrated in various examples from the provided data.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "developed the flu" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that someone has contracted influenza. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While not overly formal, it appears across various contexts, particularly in news, academic, and scientific reporting. Although sources show that there are examples where the phrase is acceptable and correct, the relatively few examples suggest that it can be considered rare in the english language. For alternative phrasing, consider options like "caught the flu" or "contracted influenza", depending on the desired level of formality. Ensure consistent tense usage when discussing the onset and progression of the illness to avoid grammatical errors. "Developed the flu" provides a clear and direct way to communicate that someone has become ill with the flu.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

caught the flu

Uses a more common verb, "caught", instead of "developed", implying the same meaning of contracting influenza.

came down with the flu

Employs the idiomatic expression "came down with", suggesting the onset of the illness.

contracted influenza

Uses the formal term "influenza" instead of the more colloquial "flu", making it slightly more formal.

fell ill with the flu

Uses a more general term, "fell ill", to describe the onset of the flu.

became infected with the flu

Highlights the infectious nature of the flu using the verb "infected".

taken ill with the flu

Similar to "fell ill", but with a slightly different phrasing.

was stricken with the flu

Conveys a sudden and unfortunate onset of the illness, using the word "stricken".

acquired the flu

Implies gaining or obtaining the flu, often used in a medical or scientific context.

succumbed to the flu

Implies a yielding or submission to the illness, adding a stronger sense of being overcome by the flu.

the flu took hold

Focuses on the flu's action, suggesting it has established itself in the person's system.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "developed the flu"?

A more formal alternative is to say "contracted influenza". This uses the medical term for the flu and sounds more professional.

Is it correct to say "caught the flu" instead of "developed the flu"?

Yes, "caught the flu" is a common and perfectly acceptable alternative. It's less formal but widely understood.

What other phrases can I use to describe someone getting sick with the flu?

You could say someone "came down with the flu", "fell ill with the flu", or "was stricken with the flu", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "developed the flu" and "developed flu-like symptoms"?

Yes. "Developed the flu" implies a confirmed case of influenza. "Developed flu-like symptoms" suggests symptoms similar to the flu, but the person might have another illness. It does not automatically mean it's influenza and further testing might be needed.