formerly accessible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "formerly accessible" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that was available or reachable in the past but is no longer so. Example: "The library was formerly accessible to the public, but now it is restricted to members only."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Information Democracy The Web democratizes information formerly accessible only to specialists.

The New York Times - Tech

The public now enters via the forbidding 17-foot-tall front doorway, formerly accessible to Freemasons only.

The New York Times - Arts

Once the building was completed, the most beautiful and formerly accessible part of the river would be hidden from the view of ordinary citizens.

The New Yorker

"The results show empirically that human agency is incompatible with causal determinism, a question formerly accessible only by metaphysics," say Mitchell and co.

MIT Technology Review

"Via ferratas make remote, craggy regions that were formerly accessible to very few people accessible to just about anyone," said Duane Raleigh, the editor and publisher of Rock and Ice, a climbing magazine based in Carbondale, Colo.

The New York Times - Travel

It was formerly accessible only via command line (lpq -s) and printing status windows in Windows, neither of which were visible enough for the majority of our users to notice.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

By contrast, his far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen, has been characterized as promoting an image that is "mumsy" and "frumpy" — and not remotely high-fashion, in contrast with Britain's prime minister, Theresa May — perhaps to try to make her party, the formerly fringe National Front, more accessible.

The New York Times

Aromatic tri[F]fluoromethyl groups were formerly synthesized using hardly accessible aromatic-CF2Br groups [ 84].

BioMed Research International

Seek out new ideas World markets have become more interlinked in recent years, making formerly remote or obscure investments accessible and affordable.

The New York Times

The 'land grabbing' in dryland areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania will likely become more pronounced as formerly inaccessible drylands become increasingly accessible and hence valuable to investors (Little et al. 2010; Flintan et al. 2011; Galaty 2012).

Pastoralism

Seal populations had moved farther north, and formerly unseen stretches of coast were now accessible.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "formerly accessible", ensure the context clearly indicates what has changed to make it no longer accessible. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "formerly accessible" without clearly stating the reason or event that caused the change in accessibility. Ensure the tense used is consistent with the time frame you are describing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "formerly accessible" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It describes a characteristic of something, indicating its previous state of being accessible. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is indeed correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "formerly accessible" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that signifies something previously reachable or available, now changed. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and understood in a variety of contexts, from news and academic writing to scientific reports. While not overly common, it is a precise way to convey this change in status. When using this expression, be sure to provide clear context as to why something is no longer accessible. The primary sources of the phrase are coming from "The New York Times", "The New Yorker" and "MIT Technology Review".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously accessible

Replaces "formerly" with "previously", a direct synonym, maintaining a similar level of formality.

once accessible

Uses "once" to indicate past accessibility, providing a slightly more informal tone.

formerly reachable

Substitutes "accessible" with "reachable", focusing on the aspect of being able to be reached or contacted.

previously obtainable

Replaces "accessible" with "obtainable", emphasizing the aspect of being able to be acquired or gained.

no longer accessible

Uses a negative construction to express the current state of inaccessibility, highlighting the change.

that used to be accessible

Emphasizes the past accessibility using a more descriptive and slightly less formal construction.

in the past accessible

Rearranges the phrase to place emphasis on the past, maintaining a similar meaning.

at one time accessible

Uses "at one time" to indicate a specific period in the past when something was accessible.

used to be within reach

Replaces "accessible" with "within reach", focusing on the aspect of ease of access.

what was once available

Shifts the focus to availability rather than accessibility, providing a broader perspective.

FAQs

How can I use "formerly accessible" in a sentence?

You can use "formerly accessible" to describe something that was available or reachable in the past but is no longer so. For example, "The archive was formerly accessible to researchers, but is now closed for renovations."

What can I say instead of "formerly accessible"?

You can use alternatives like "previously accessible", "once accessible", or "no longer accessible" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "currently inaccessible" instead of "formerly accessible"?

While "formerly accessible" describes something that used to be accessible, "currently inaccessible" describes something that is not accessible at the present time. They aren't interchangeable; the correct choice depends on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between "formerly accessible" and "potentially accessible"?

"Formerly accessible" refers to something that was accessible in the past but is no longer, whereas "potentially accessible" refers to something that is not currently accessible but could become accessible in the future.