had a discussion with

USAGE SUMMARY

"had a discussion with" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you need to emphasize that you had a formal conversation with someone about a specific topic. Example sentence: I had a discussion with my professor about my final paper.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

All women, in whom contraception was discussed, had had a discussion with their psychiatrist around teratogenic potential of their medication.

BMC Psychiatry

I had a discussion with Godard ….

The New Yorker

Shonibare said he had a discussion with Kate about "how wonderful art is".

Independent

In fact, I just had a discussion with our music supervisor.

The New York Times

First, the oncologist said, she had a discussion with him alone.

The New Yorker

When I arrived this morning, I had a discussion with the Apple security team.

The Guardian

We had a discussion with them last week and raised some concerns around public order.

The Guardian - Music

In January, Mr. Sokol accumulated about $10 million in shares of Lubrizol and had a discussion with Lubrizol's chief executive.

The New York Times

"I've said hello to her and shaken her hand, but have never had a discussion with her".

The New York Times

"After I went, they even had a discussion with Juventus to sell Modric, because they didn't believe in him.

Independent

"We had a discussion with them and they said they were looking seriously at this," said the spokeswoman.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had a discussion with" when emphasizing a deliberate, focused conversation involving specific topics or issues. It's appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "had a discussion with" in contexts where a simpler term like "spoke with" or "talked to" suffices. Overuse can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had a discussion with" functions as a verb phrase indicating an act of formal or informal communication between two or more parties. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating its broad applicability. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, it emphasizes a deliberate, focused conversation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

13%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had a discussion with" is a versatile phrase used to describe a communication event, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Ludwig's examples reveal its common usage across diverse sources like News & Media and Science, demonstrating its broad applicability. While grammatically sound and widely accepted, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, writers should be mindful of potential overuse and consider simpler alternatives where appropriate. Remember to use this phrase when you want to emphasize a deliberate and focused conversation on specific topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Had a conversation with

A more general phrase that doesn't necessarily imply a structured or focused exchange.

Engaged in dialogue with

Implies a more formal and structured exchange of ideas, often with a specific purpose.

Conversed with

Focuses on the act of exchanging thoughts and ideas; more informal than "had a discussion with".

Held talks with

Suggests a series of discussions, usually on a specific topic or negotiation.

Spoke with

A general term for talking to someone; less formal and specific than "had a discussion with".

Exchanged views with

Focuses on the sharing of opinions and perspectives.

Talked with

Similar to "spoke with", but can imply a more casual conversation.

Consulted with

Implies seeking advice or expert opinion; more formal and specific than "had a discussion with".

Negotiated with

Implies a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.

Communicated with

A broad term that encompasses various means of exchanging information; less personal than "had a discussion with".

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "had a discussion with"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "engaged in dialogue with" or "consulted with", depending on the context.

How can I make "had a discussion with" sound less formal?

To make it less formal, you could use "spoke with" or "talked to". These options are suitable for casual conversations.

When should I use "had a conversation with" instead of "had a discussion with"?

"Had a conversation with" is generally used for informal exchanges, while "had a discussion with" implies a more structured and purposeful interaction.

What's the difference between "had a discussion with" and "negotiated with"?

"Had a discussion with" is a general term for talking about something, whereas "negotiated with" specifically implies a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement or compromise.