had been merged

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been merged" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is the past perfect tense of the verb "to merge" and is used to indicate that the merging had already been completed before another past event. An example of using "had been merged" in a sentence could be: "By the time the new company was established, all of the smaller businesses had been merged into one." This sentence indicates that the merging of the smaller businesses occurred before the establishment of the new company.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

(We note that closed issues were considered as closed because they were the result of merged pull requests. The branch of the pull request had been merged with the main branch and, as a result, those issues were considered closed).

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

It had been merged with the sunroom, making it the size of a Manhattan studio apartment.

The New York Times

Ronaldo has previously won the Ballon d'Or three times, the last in 2014 when it had been merged with the Fifa world player of the year accolade.

The Guardian - Sport

Dishes from each operation had been merged into a single menu, all available from the Graffiato kitchen, the only one still active at the Eatery on Thursday.

The Washington Post

The university, into which preexisting institutions of higher learning had been merged in 1803, became especially distinguished for teaching on economic and maritime subjects.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Until 1964 Scotland had four stock exchanges, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee; by 1973 all had been merged into the London exchange.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

But since slightly less PDSs are produced for merged pathways, they must have been merged into the other PDSs.

BMC Genomics

Many categories have been merged.

The New York Times - Arts

The cases, which have been merged, are pending.

The New York Times - Sports

Their multiple jobs have been merged into general communications.

The Economist

Many have been merged or "privatised" in all but name.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been merged" to clearly indicate that the merging action was completed before a specific point in the past. This clarifies the sequence of events for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "had been merged" when the merging action is ongoing or has not yet been completed. Use the appropriate present or future tense instead to maintain accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been merged" functions as a passive verb construction in the past perfect tense. It signifies that an action of merging occurred and was completed prior to another event or time in the past, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

30%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been merged" is a grammatically sound and versatile phrase used to express the completed combination of two or more entities before a specific point in the past. According to Ludwig, it finds common application across diverse fields, from science and academia to news and media. While alternatives exist to subtly alter the meaning, the phrase's core function remains consistent. Remembering to use the correct tense and context ensures clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been consolidated

Focuses on strengthening by combining elements.

had been integrated

Emphasizes the unification of separate components into a cohesive whole.

had been unified

Highlights the act of becoming one.

had been amalgamated

Implies a blending or mixing together.

had been incorporated

Suggests including something as part of a larger whole.

had been fused

Conveys a strong and irreversible union.

had been joined

Indicates a connection or linking of two or more things.

had been linked

Highlights the establishment of a connection between entities.

had been blended

Focuses on mixing elements to create a new entity.

had been attached

Indicates a physical or conceptual joining.

FAQs

How is "had been merged" used in a sentence?

Use "had been merged" to indicate that two or more things combined into one at some point in the past, before another action took place. For example, "The two departments "had been merged" before the new director arrived".

What are some alternatives to "had been merged"?

You can use alternatives such as "had been consolidated", "had been integrated", or "had been unified" depending on the context.

When should I use "had been merged" instead of "was merged"?

"Had been merged" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. "Was merged" simply indicates an action in the past. For example, "The accounts "were merged" last year." vs. "The accounts "had been merged" before the audit began".

Is "had been merged" formal or informal?

"Had been merged" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, making it a versatile choice for various writing styles.