had been annulled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been annulled" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something, such as a contract or agreement, has been officially declared invalid or void in the past. Example: "The marriage had been annulled due to a lack of consent from one of the parties involved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The marriage had been annulled.

The New Yorker

Her marriage to Balanchine had been annulled on the grounds that he did not want children.

The Guardian

I won't ring your phone.' " A few months later, he received notice that their marriage had been annulled.

The New Yorker

Ms. Berenson's parents, Rhoda and Mark, said their daughter's parole had been "annulled on a technicality" that they hoped could be sorted out.

The New York Times

The press prohibition had been annulled in 1904, allowing the appearance of the first Lithuanian daily newspaper, Vilniaus žinios ("Vilnius News").

Encyclopedia Britannica

On Thursday the IAAF announced that all her results since 2009 had been annulled, and the two-year ban imposed last year extended by 14 months.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Calling the episode a "bad parody of Stand By Me", Martin wrote that "any moments this episode might have had are annulled by the constant annoyance of Homer screaming through the first half of the episode".

Wikipedia

And already, the marriage has been annulled.

The New York Times - Sports

At least 36 contracts were reported to have been annulled.

The Guardian

He called attention instead to the timing of the decisions that have been annulled.

The New York Times

One sale has been annulled by the state and the other has been halted pending an investigation by state officials.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been annulled", ensure that the context clearly indicates what was annulled and the reason for the annulment to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been annulled" when the action of annulment is still ongoing or has not yet been completed. Use the appropriate past or present perfect tense instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been annulled" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that an action (annulment) was completed before a specific point in the past. It emphasizes the state of something being invalid or void at a prior time. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Science

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been annulled" is a grammatically sound past perfect passive construction used to indicate that something was officially invalidated before a specific point in the past. According to Ludwig, its usage is considered correct and suitable for various contexts. While not extremely common, it frequently appears in news reports, encyclopedias, and legal documents. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding what was annulled and the reasons for the annulment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was nullified

Similar to 'annulled' but emphasizes the action of making something legally void.

was declared void

Changes the verb from 'annulled' to 'declared void', emphasizing the act of nullification.

was invalidated

Replaces 'annulled' with 'invalidated', focusing on the lack of legal validity.

was rescinded

Substitutes 'annulled' with 'rescinded', suggesting a formal withdrawal or cancellation.

was revoked

Uses 'revoked' instead of 'annulled', highlighting the removal of a right or privilege.

was set aside

Replaces 'annulled' with 'set aside', indicating a legal decision to disregard something.

had been invalidated retroactively

Adds 'retroactively' to emphasize that the annulment applies to a past period as well.

had been canceled

Uses a more general term, 'canceled', instead of the legal term 'annulled'.

was deemed illegitimate

Shifts the focus to the legitimacy of the action or agreement that was annulled.

was no longer in effect

Indicates that the agreement or law that was annulled is no longer valid or operational.

FAQs

What does "had been annulled" mean?

The phrase "had been annulled" means that something was officially declared invalid or void at some point in the past. It often refers to legal or formal agreements, such as marriages or contracts.

What can I say instead of "had been annulled"?

You can use alternatives like "was declared void", "was invalidated", or "was rescinded" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the decision was annulled" or "had been annulled"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "The decision was annulled" implies that the decision was annulled at a specific point in the past, while "the decision had been annulled" indicates that the annulment occurred before a certain time or event in the past.

What is the difference between "had been annulled" and "was canceled"?

"Had been annulled" typically refers to a formal or legal invalidation, while "was canceled" is a more general term for stopping something. A contract "had been annulled" due to fraud, while a meeting "was canceled" due to scheduling conflicts.