had acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

"had acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
You use it to refer to something that happened in the past, such as: "Before she retired, she had acquired a great deal of knowledge in her field of study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

They had acquired heightened attention.

The New York Times - Science

Anxiety drugs had acquired a bad name.

The New Yorker

Manabe, too, had acquired a new identity.

The New Yorker

Our house had acquired a soul.

The New York Times

My fear had acquired a face.

The New York Times - Tech

He had acquired me, as he had acquired his house, furniture and car.

The New York Times

Swiss Bank had acquired S. G. Warburg in 1995.

The New York Times

AOL had acquired Bebo just two years previously for $850m.

The Guardian

The word "hacker" had acquired a specific and negative connotation.

The New Yorker

I literally couldn't move.' And he had acquired another stalker.

The Guardian

In December, Electronic Arts said it had acquired the game.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had acquired", ensure the context clearly establishes the past perfect tense, indicating that the acquisition occurred before another point in the past.

Common error

Avoid using "had acquired" when the simple past tense ("acquired") is sufficient. Use "had acquired" only when you need to emphasize that the acquisition happened before another event in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had acquired" functions as a past perfect verb phrase. It indicates an action of obtaining or gaining something that was completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Wiki

12%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had acquired" is a grammatically sound and widely used past perfect verb phrase that describes the act of obtaining something before another event in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is correct and versatile across varied writing styles. It's important to ensure correct tense usage, avoiding it where a simple past tense like "acquired" suffices. While used across various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias, being precise about the tense and considering alternatives such as "had obtained" or "had gained" based on the nuances helps improve writing clarity and impact. Key authoritative sources using this phrase include The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had obtained

Uses a different verb with a direct synonym, emphasizing the act of gaining something.

had gained

A more general term for obtaining something, whether tangible or intangible.

had secured

Implies effort and success in obtaining something, often something valuable or difficult to get.

had taken possession of

Focuses on the act of taking control or ownership.

had come into possession of

More formal and emphasizes the act of gaining ownership or control.

had achieved

Implies reaching a goal or accomplishment, often through effort or skill.

had won

Suggests obtaining something through competition or luck.

had earned

Suggests obtaining something through effort and deservingness.

had inherited

Specifically refers to receiving something as an inheritance.

had picked up

Informal, often refers to acquiring knowledge or skills.

FAQs

How do I use "had acquired" in a sentence?

Use "had acquired" to indicate that an action of acquiring something happened before another action in the past. For example, "By the time she became CEO, she "had acquired" significant experience."

What are some alternatives to "had acquired"?

You can use alternatives such as "had obtained", "had gained", or "had secured" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "had acquired" or should I just say "acquired"?

It depends on the context. Use "had acquired" when you want to emphasize that the action of acquiring happened before another action in the past. Otherwise, "acquired" in the simple past tense may be sufficient.

What's the difference between "had acquired" and "obtained"?

"Had acquired" is in the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another past action. "Obtained" is in the simple past tense, simply stating that the action happened in the past without specifying its relation to another past action.