had been halted

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been halted" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that was stopped in the past. For example, "The construction project had been halted due to bad weather."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

That match had been halted.

The New York Times - Sports

The race had been halted.

The New York Times - Sports

By June, Bayler's treatment had been halted.

The New York Times - Sports

Was she upset when she heard it had been halted?

The Guardian

"There was tremendous evidence that the program had been halted".

The New York Times

People also threw rocks at buses that had been halted.

The New York Times

The match had been halted at 7 all Friday in the third and resumed earlier Saturday.

The New York Times

By October 1914 the German advance had been halted and trench warfare had begun.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But in continental Europe statistical progress had been halted, or sometimes worse.

The Economist

Air India said its daily flights to Newark and JFK had been halted since Sunday.

Independent

Iran's state English-language television confirmed uranium enrichment had been halted.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been halted", ensure the context clearly establishes what initiated the stop. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "had been halted" when a simple past tense like "was halted" is sufficient. Use "had been halted" only when referring to an action completed before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been halted" functions as a past perfect passive construction, indicating that an action or process was stopped at some point before another point in the past. Ludwig AI indicates that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been halted" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that functions as the past perfect passive form of the verb "halt". As Ludwig AI confirms, it's perfectly acceptable in English writing. It conveys that something was stopped before a specific point in the past and is commonly found in news articles, encyclopedias, and scientific publications. While it's appropriate for neutral and formal registers, it's crucial to use it correctly, ensuring the context clearly establishes what initiated the halt and avoiding overuse when a simple past tense suffices. Alternatives like "had been stopped", "had been suspended", and "had been terminated" can offer subtle variations in meaning, depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been stopped

Replaces "halted" with "stopped", offering a more general and common synonym with almost identical meaning.

had been terminated

Substitutes "halted" with "terminated", suggesting a more formal and definitive end to something.

had been brought to a halt

Adds emphasis to the action of stopping something, rather than just the state of being stopped.

had been suspended

Replaces "halted" with "suspended", indicating a temporary cessation rather than a permanent stop.

had been discontinued

Uses "discontinued" instead of "halted", implying that something is no longer being produced or carried out.

had come to a standstill

Replaces the single word "halted" with a longer phrase, emphasizing the complete cessation of movement or progress.

had been ceased

Swaps "halted" with "ceased", providing a more formal and somewhat less common alternative.

had been put on hold

Replaces "halted" with a more colloquial phrase, suggesting a temporary interruption.

had been shut down

Substitutes "halted" with "shut down", implying a more forceful and complete cessation, often used for systems or operations.

had been impeded

Replaces "halted" with "impeded", indicating that something was obstructed or hindered.

FAQs

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

Use "had been halted" to describe an action that was stopped before another action occurred in the past. For example, "The project "had been halted" due to funding issues, so we couldn't proceed with the next phase".

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

"Had been halted" indicates a past perfect passive construction, meaning the action was completed before another point in the past. "Was halted" is simple past passive, indicating the action occurred at a specific point in the past. For example, "The game "was halted" due to rain" versus "The game "had been halted" before the fans arrived".

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

You can use alternatives like "had been stopped", "had been suspended", or "had been terminated" depending on the specific context.

Is "had been halted" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had been halted" is grammatically correct. It is the past perfect passive form of the verb "halt". It's used to describe an action that was stopped before another action in the past.