had been put off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been put off" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was postponed or delayed in the past. Example: "The meeting had been put off due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Voting had been put off at least six times.

The New York Times

She said she had been put off by Mr. Ramrattan's demeanor in court.

The New York Times

A spokesman said the balloting had been put off until further notice.

The New York Times

Today's shake-up had been put off on a few occasions.

Independent

The redecorating had been put off for several years before being abandoned entirely.

The New Yorker

But they had been put off by disorganisation and lack of prestige.

The Economist

Individual IPL clubs said they had been put off Pakistanis by visa difficulties.

The Economist

Indeed, several superdelegates said they had been put off by negative moments in the debate.

The New York Times

But this afternoon, the agency announced that the hearing had been put off until Wednesday.

The New York Times

He had seen it around, but had been put off by the scientific title.

The New Yorker

Religious conservatives had been put off by tales of McCain's temper, and by his ungallant termination of his first marriage.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been put off" to clearly indicate that something was delayed or someone was discouraged in the past. It's effective for both actions and feelings.

Common error

Avoid using "had been put off" when an active construction is more appropriate. For instance, instead of "They had been put off by the price", consider "The price put them off" for a more direct and concise statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been put off" functions as a passive construction within the past perfect tense. It indicates that an action of delaying or discouraging was completed at some point before another time in the past. Ludwig examples show its adaptability across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been put off" is a versatile phrase indicating postponement or discouragement in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and high frequency, particularly in News & Media. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for various contexts. While alternatives like ""had been postponed"" and ""had been deterred"" exist, "had been put off" effectively conveys both delay and discouragement, as demonstrated by numerous examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been postponed

Focuses specifically on the act of delaying an event or action.

had been delayed

Similar to 'postponed', but often implies a shorter or indefinite delay.

had been deterred

Highlights the act of discouraging someone from doing something.

had been discouraged

Emphasizes a feeling of reduced enthusiasm or motivation.

had been dissuaded

Indicates that someone was successfully persuaded not to do something.

had been turned off

Implies a loss of interest or attraction, often due to a negative experience.

had been repelled

Suggests a strong feeling of aversion or disgust.

had been intimidated

Highlights the feeling of being frightened or threatened into inaction.

had been scared away

Implies that someone was frightened enough to avoid something.

had been held back

Focuses on the act of being prevented from progressing or acting.

FAQs

What does "had been put off" mean?

"Had been put off" means something was postponed or someone was discouraged from doing something. The specific meaning depends on the context of the sentence.

How can I use "had been put off" in a sentence?

You can use "had been put off" to describe a delayed event, such as "The meeting "had been postponed"", or to indicate discouragement, such as "They "had been deterred" by the long lines".

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

"Had been put off" refers to a past action completed before another point in the past, while "was put off" describes a single event in the past. For example, "The meeting had been put off before I arrived" versus "I was put off by the rude service".

What can I say instead of "had been put off"?

You can use alternatives like ""had been postponed"", "had been delayed", or ""had been deterred"" depending on the context.