had been discussed

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been discussed" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is the past perfect tense and is used to talk about something that happened before something else in the past. For example: "The matter of the missing funds had been discussed before the board meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The subject had been discussed the previous summer.

The New Yorker

Swarbrick stressed that no dates had been discussed.

The New York Times - Sports

Johnson had been discussed for totally separate reasons hours earlier.

The New Yorker

He said the issue had been discussed with Andrews.

The New York Times - Sports

But a judge in California rejected the argument because the program had been discussed so widely.

The New York Times

Other flourishes had been discussed, but he had no real regrets.

The New York Times - Food

Irene Fitzgerald, the school's principal, said the plan had been discussed for months.

The New York Times

But a White House official said that little new of substance had been discussed.

The New York Times

Previously a range of an extra £1-2bn had been discussed.

The Guardian

The Guardian's sources also said the possibility of gassing badgers had been discussed.

The Guardian

Potential deals and partnerships had been discussed, and return visits planned.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been discussed", ensure the context clearly identifies who did the discussing. This adds clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "had been discussed" when the context only requires the simple past tense ("was discussed"). Use the past perfect only when referencing an earlier action relative to another past event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been discussed" functions as a passive construction in the past perfect tense. According to Ludwig AI, this indicates that a topic was deliberated at some point prior to a specific time frame established in the past. The phrase highlights the completion of the discussion before another event occurred.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been discussed" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase functioning as a past perfect passive construction. Ludwig AI confirms it describes an action completed before another point in the past. Predominantly found in news, scientific, and formal business contexts, the phrase serves to indicate that a subject has already been deliberated. Alternatives like "was previously considered" or "had been under consideration" can be used depending on the desired nuance. When employing this phrase, ensure proper tense sequencing and clarity regarding who conducted the discussion. Overall, "had been discussed" is a versatile and valuable tool for establishing a clear timeline and context in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been under consideration

Focuses on the ongoing process of evaluating something.

was previously considered

Emphasizes the prior consideration of a topic.

had been reviewed

Suggests a formal assessment or examination took place.

was earlier deliberated

Highlights a more formal and careful consideration.

had been examined

Highlights a detailed inspection or analysis.

was already addressed

Suggests the topic received attention and potentially a resolution.

had been contemplated

Implies deep thought and reflection on the subject.

had been brought up

Indicates the topic was introduced into a conversation or deliberation.

was a subject of conversation

Highlights less formally the fact that something was discussed.

had been touched upon

Suggests that something was mentioned, but not necessarily in depth.

FAQs

How can I use "had been discussed" in a sentence?

Use "had been discussed" to indicate that a topic was deliberated at some point before a specific time in the past. For example, "The budget cuts "had been discussed" extensively before the final decision was made".

What's a good alternative to "had been discussed"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "had been discussed" include "was previously considered", "was earlier deliberated", or "had been under consideration".

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

"Was discussed" refers to a discussion that happened at a specific point in the past, while "had been discussed" indicates that the discussion occurred before a particular point in the past. The latter establishes a sequence of past events.

Is it correct to say "the topic had been discuss"?

No, the correct phrasing is "the topic "had been discussed"". The past participle form of "discuss" is "discussed", not "discuss".