had been ignored

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been ignored" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was overlooked or not acknowledged in the past. Example: "Despite her efforts to contribute, her suggestions had been ignored during the meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

But their advice had been ignored.

The New Yorker

Few details had been ignored.

The New York Times

This warning had been ignored.

The New Yorker

Tammaro said her pleas had been ignored.

The New York Times - Sports

He fumed that he had been ignored.

The New York Times - Sports

It claimed that proper police procedures had been ignored.

The New York Times

These children had been ignored, their symptoms had been ignored and in particular the association parents made with the vaccine had been ignored".

The Guardian

It seemed as if essential business practices had been ignored.

The Guardian

"It's the same readers who had been ignored in Britain, and had been ignored in the United States".

The Guardian

He said that the patients at Ulteam had been ignored and silenced by other doctors.

The New Yorker

The issue had first been noticed by programmers in the 1950s, but had been ignored.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been ignored" when you want to emphasize that something was not just missed, but actively disregarded or overlooked despite potentially negative consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "had been ignored" excessively, as it can make your writing sound passive. Whenever possible, rewrite the sentence to highlight who did the ignoring and why.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been ignored" functions as the past perfect passive form of the verb "ignore". It indicates that an action (being ignored) was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

100%

Wiki

100%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been ignored" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as the past perfect passive, denoting an action that was completed before another point in the past. Its primary purpose is to convey that something was overlooked or disregarded, often implying a sense of neglect. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, and its register is generally neutral. When using this phrase, consider rephrasing to active voice. Common alternatives include "had been overlooked", "had been disregarded", and "had been neglected".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been overlooked

Focuses on the act of failing to notice something.

had been disregarded

Emphasizes a conscious decision to reject or dismiss something.

had been neglected

Highlights a lack of care or attention.

had been dismissed

Suggests a quick rejection without serious consideration.

had been unheeded

Implies that a warning or advice was not listened to.

had been shelved

Indicates that a plan or project was put on hold indefinitely.

had been bypassed

Shows that something was intentionally avoided or skipped.

had not been taken into account

Emphasizes that something was not considered in a decision or calculation.

had fallen by the wayside

Indicates that something failed to progress or was forgotten.

had been swept under the rug

Suggests that something was deliberately concealed or suppressed.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "had been ignored" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "had been overlooked", "had been disregarded", or "had been neglected" depending on the specific context.

What does it mean when something "had been ignored"?

It means that something was deliberately or unintentionally overlooked, disregarded, or not given the attention it deserved.

Is there a difference between "had been ignored" and "was ignored"?

"Had been ignored" indicates that the ignoring occurred over a period of time in the past, prior to another event. "Was ignored" simply indicates that the ignoring happened at some point in the past.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "had been ignored" in writing?

It is appropriate when you want to emphasize that something was not just missed, but actively disregarded or overlooked despite potentially negative consequences, or that actions took place in the past before another past action.