had been finalized

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been finalized" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that a decision or agreement was completed in the past before another event occurred. Example: "The contract had been finalized before the negotiations took a different turn."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

(The adoption had been finalized in Las Vegas).

The New Yorker

(News that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's divorce had been finalized, for example).

The New York Times - Magazine

(His lawyer said Mr. Nakoula was unaware until recently that the latest change had been finalized).

The New York Times

The women's bracket concluded earlier than the men's, and by midafternoon, the quarterfinals had been finalized.

The New York Times - Sports

Truth commission officials denied that such a deal had been finalized.

The New York Times

A political deal had been finalized before the meeting opened, defusing the pent-up antagonism of many lawmakers.

The New York Times

Ms. Estrich said nothing had been finalized about what sort of continuing role he could have at the network.

The New York Times

Several waves of screenwriters later, a shooting script had been finalized — and the brothers' names had been removed.

The New York Times

Once such a deal had been finalized, the European Council would have to approve it by a qualified majority.

The New Yorker

Consequently, the date by which most internships had been finalized began to creep forward from the end of the senior year of medical school.

Stanford University

In turn, all noncommodity orders, both to huge companies like U.S. Foodservice and Sysco and to smaller regional producers, had been finalized the previous May.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been finalized" to clearly indicate that a process or decision was completed before a specific point in time. This helps establish a clear sequence of events for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "had been finalized" when referring to events in the present or future. Use "has been finalized" for the present perfect or "will be finalized" for future tense instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been finalized" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect passive voice. This indicates that an action (finalizing) was completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

16%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been finalized" is a grammatically correct and frequently used past perfect passive construction, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to indicate the completion of an action before another point in the past. Predominantly found in news and media, scientific, and academic contexts, its register ranges from neutral to formal. When writing, it's important to ensure that the tense aligns with the intended meaning and to avoid using it for present or future scenarios. Consider alternatives like "was concluded" or "was completed" for subtle variations in emphasis. By understanding these nuances, you can effectively use "had been finalized" to create clear and precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was concluded

Emphasizes the formal ending of a process or agreement.

was completed

Focuses on the act of finishing something.

was agreed upon

Highlights mutual consent and agreement.

was settled

Suggests resolution after a period of discussion or dispute.

was determined

Indicates a decision has been reached after consideration.

was established

Implies something has been firmly set or created.

was implemented

Focuses on the execution and putting into effect of a plan.

was ratified

Used in formal or legal contexts to signify official approval.

was signed off on

Informal, suggesting approval or agreement.

was wrapped up

Informal, indicating a task or project has been neatly finished.

FAQs

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

Use "had been finalized" to indicate that something was completed at a point in the past before something else happened. For example, "The contract "had been finalized" before the company changed its mind."

What are some alternatives to "had been finalized"?

Alternatives include "was concluded", "was completed", or "was settled" depending on the context.

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

The correct tense depends on the context. "Has been finalized" indicates completion in the present or recent past, while "had been finalized" indicates completion before a specific time in the past.

What's the difference between "had been finalized" and "was finalized"?

"Had been finalized" indicates the completion of an action before another point in the past, whereas "was finalized" simply indicates that the action was completed at some point in the past without emphasizing its relation to another past event. For example: "The deal "was finalized" last week." vs "The deal "had been finalized" before the new CEO took over."