had been denied

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "had been denied" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about a past action that was not allowed. For example: "He had been denied access to the restricted area."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Our claim had been denied.

The New York Times

Hers had been denied.

The Guardian

Each time, parole had been denied.

The New York Times

Gunn's petition had been denied.

The New Yorker

"They had been denied medical treatment.

The Guardian

His asylum petition had been denied.

The New York Times

A previous appeal had been denied.

The Washington Post

Steinbrenner had been denied a pardon in 1979.

The New York Times - Sports

It wasn't that she had been denied her say.

Independent

He said they had been denied due process of law.

The New Yorker

For Jacksonians, the will of the people had been denied.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the tense is consistent within the surrounding text when using "had been denied". This tense is used to refer to an action that had happened before another action in the past.

Common error

A common mistake is using "had been denied" when the simple past "was denied" is more appropriate. Use "had been denied" only when referring to an action completed before another point in the past. If you are referring to a single action in the past, use "was denied" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been denied" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that someone or something was the recipient of a denial before a specific point in the past. Ludwig provides many examples of its usage in varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Academia

20%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been denied" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as Ludwig AI confirms. It serves to indicate that a denial occurred before a specific point in the past. Its usage spans diverse contexts, prominently featuring in News & Media, Academia, and Scientific publications. When employing this phrase, be mindful of maintaining tense consistency and ensuring the sentence clearly identifies the subject of denial. Alternatives include phrases such as "was refused" or "was rejected", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was refused

Focuses on the act of refusal, rather than the state of being denied.

was rejected

Implies a formal refusal, often after consideration.

was not granted

Emphasizes the lack of permission or approval.

was turned down

An informal way of saying something was refused.

was not allowed

Focuses on the lack of permission to do something.

was prohibited

Suggests a formal ban or legal restriction.

was prevented from

Highlights the act of stopping someone from doing something.

was blocked from

Indicates an obstruction or barrier preventing access.

was excluded from

Implies being left out or not included.

was vetoed

Suggests a powerful rejection of a proposal or action.

FAQs

How do I use "had been denied" in a sentence?

Use "had been denied" to describe something that was refused before another action in the past. For example, "The application "had been denied" before the appeal was filed."

What are some alternatives to "had been denied"?

You can use alternatives such as "was refused", "was rejected", or "was turned down" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "has been denied" instead of "had been denied"?

The choice between "has been denied" and "had been denied" depends on the context and timeframe. "Has been denied" refers to something denied in the past with relevance to the present, while "had been denied" refers to something denied before another point in the past.

What is the difference between "was denied" and "had been denied"?

"Was denied" indicates a simple past action, while "had been denied" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "He "was denied" entry" versus "He "had been denied" entry before he tried to bribe the guard".