end up acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "end up acquired" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not a commonly used expression and may confuse readers due to its awkward construction. Example: "After several negotiations, the company ended up acquired by a larger firm."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Consulting has only had 3% of companies started that end up acquired and less than 0.5% IPOs.

TechCrunch

Some, maybe most, of these companies could end up acquired before a possible IPO: optical navigation company Advanced Scientific Concepts was recently bought by the German auto tech company, Continental.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

If you treat them like one, said Curhan, you could end up acquiring the best talent on better terms than you expected.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sidelined in the merger game since its failed bid for MCI Inc., Qwest Communications could end up acquiring assets, being acquired or standing alone in the fast-consolidating telecommunications industry.

The New York Times

And if the Bell companies are to become major competitors in business long-distance service, they may well end up acquiring companies like AT&T and Sprint.

The New York Times

Some analysts predict that if the funding pressure continues, large banks could end up acquiring the marketplace lenders, or pieces of them.

The New York Times

We've tracked our former students who decided to search with particular attention to those don't end up acquiring a small firm.

Harvard Business Review

The last surviving letter of any length that Eliot wrote was to Elma Stuart, a friend and protégée so attached to the author that she would end up acquiring for herself the grave plot next to Eliot's, in Highgate Cemetery.

The New Yorker

"Responsible parenting" now takes the form of monitoring children's online activity and regularly checking their various social-media accounts—so parents are reading their kids' texts, following Snapchat Stories, looking at Instagram posts, seeing what's been recently viewed on Netflix, etc. And, in the process, they end up acquiring, involuntarily, a partial fluency in teen tastes.

The New Yorker

Will Amazon eventually end up acquiring Netflix ?

Forbes

Some we end up acquiring, most we do not.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "end up acquired" in formal writing. Opt for more grammatically sound alternatives like "ultimately acquired" or "eventually acquired" to maintain clarity and professionalism.

Common error

Using "end up acquired" can make your writing sound awkward and less professional. Always double-check for better alternatives that clearly convey the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "end up acquired" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating the result of a company being taken over. As Ludwig AI points out, the structure is grammatically awkward. Examples show it used in news and business contexts, but alternatives are preferred.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "end up acquired" is a grammatically awkward way to express that a company is eventually taken over by another. While it appears in contexts like News & Media, Academia, and Science, Ludwig AI indicates that it is not considered standard English. Alternatives such as "ultimately acquired", "eventually acquired", or "be acquired" are more precise and grammatically sound, ensuring clearer and more professional communication. Due to its awkwardness, it's best to avoid using "end up acquired" in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ultimately acquired

Focuses on the final outcome of the acquisition process, emphasizing the eventual nature of the event.

eventually acquired

Similar to 'ultimately acquired', this highlights the process leading to the acquisition over time.

wind up being acquired

This option uses 'wind up' to convey a sense of inevitability or unplanned outcome.

get acquired

A simpler and more direct way of expressing that a company is taken over by another.

be acquired

A concise and grammatically sound way to state that a company is the subject of an acquisition.

end up being purchased

Uses 'purchased' instead of 'acquired', implying a transaction or financial element in the process.

be taken over

Emphasizes the change of control as a result of the acquisition.

end up being merged

Suggests a merger scenario rather than a straight acquisition, which is a specific type of business combination.

turn out to be acquired

Suggests something unexpected that happened to a business. It has a similar meaning but it includes the perspective of surprise.

end up being consolidated

Implies the process of being joined together into a more effective whole

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "end up acquired"?

Alternatives include "ultimately acquired", "eventually acquired", or "be acquired" depending on the context.

Is "end up acquired" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "end up acquired" is not considered grammatically sound. It's better to use alternatives like "end up being acquired" or more concise phrases.

How can I use "be acquired" in a sentence?

You can use "be acquired" in sentences like: "The company was acquired by a larger corporation" or "They expect to be acquired within the next year".

What's the difference between "end up acquired" and "end up being acquired"?

"End up being acquired" is grammatically more correct and clearer than "end up acquired". The former includes the auxiliary verb "being", which makes the passive voice construction more explicit.