had been declared

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been declared" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was announced or stated in the past, often in a formal context. Example: "The winner of the competition had been declared before the audience arrived."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

War had been declared.

The New York Times - Arts

THE musical had been declared dead.

The Economist

History had been declared redundant.

The Guardian - Books

Fullback D'Andre Hardeman had been declared ineligible.

The New York Times - Sports

By 1981, the group had been declared illegal.

The New Yorker

They had been declared, in effect, unlawful combatants.

The New Yorker

By Sunday, Goldin, too, had been declared dead.

The New Yorker

A milestone had passed and victory had been declared.

The New York Times

Three years before, the cold war had been declared over.

The Economist

For years, he had been declared incompetent to stand trial.

The New York Times

The proposal had been declared a "priority" by the state.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been declared" when you want to emphasize that an official statement or announcement was made in the past and its effects are still relevant. For example, "The area had been declared a disaster zone, so relief efforts were immediately mobilized."

Common error

Avoid using "had been declared" when a simpler past tense form like "was declared" is sufficient. Overusing the past perfect can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "had been declared" is to express a passive perfective action. It indicates that something was acted upon and a declaration occurred at a point in the past, prior to another event or time frame. Ludwig AI suggests that this form indicates a completed action with lasting effects.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Science

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been declared" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase, particularly in formal and neutral contexts like news reports, encyclopedias, and academic writing. It effectively communicates that an official action or announcement occurred in the past with continued relevance. According to Ludwig, it is a versatile phrase that can be used to express a variety of meanings, from indicating a state of emergency to reporting official pronouncements. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, it's important to consider simpler alternatives like "was declared" when the past perfect tense is not essential. Overall, "had been declared" is a valuable phrase to have in your writing toolkit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was announced

Focuses on the action of announcing rather than the state of being declared.

was proclaimed

Implies a more formal or ceremonial announcement.

was stated

A more neutral and general way of indicating something was said or communicated.

was made official

Emphasizes the official nature of the declaration.

was ruled

Often used in legal or judicial contexts.

was deemed

Indicates a judgment or assessment has been made.

was recognized

Highlights acknowledgement or acceptance of a fact or status.

had been designated

Focuses on the act of assigning a specific role or status.

had been named

Specifies the act of giving something a particular name or title.

was considered

Implies a process of deliberation or thought before a conclusion.

FAQs

How is "had been declared" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been declared" indicates a past action that has present relevance. For example, "The ceasefire "had been declared", but fighting continued sporadically."

What are some alternatives to "had been declared"?

Alternatives include "was announced", "was proclaimed", or "was stated", depending on the context and formality level.

Which is correct, "had been declared" or "was declared"?

"Had been declared" implies the action happened before another point in the past. "Was declared" is used when the action is simply in the past without needing to specify a prior point of reference. For example, "The meeting "was declared" open at 9 AM."

In what contexts is "had been declared" most appropriate?

This phrase is suitable for formal and official contexts such as news reports, legal documents, or academic writing where it's important to emphasize that an action occurred at a specific point in the past and has ongoing consequences.