had been seized

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been seized" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something was taken or captured at some point in the past, often in a legal or formal context. Example: "The evidence had been seized by the authorities during the investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The president said some Kalashnikov assault rifles had been seized.

The New York Times

It had been seized by the Gestapo in 1936.

The Guardian - Arts

Wiltshire police said both dogs had been seized by officers.

The Guardian

The owners confirmed Tuesday that the ship had been seized.

The New York Times

A police official said no such material had been seized.

The New York Times

The guns had been seized by county law enforcement agencies.

The New York Times

But between then and this week only one more site had been seized.

The Economist

In a statement, Nomura said that no assets had been seized yet.

The New York Times

The APS national news agency said the attacker had been seized by a "fit of madness".

The New York Times

She had been seized at a FARC roadblock, and on September 29th was found shot dead.

The Economist

She had been seized while on a road trip in the area.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been seized" when you want to emphasize the action of taking or capturing something that occurred in the past, prior to another event you are describing. This is particularly useful in legal or historical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using the active voice when the focus should be on the object that was taken, not the actor. For example, instead of writing "The police had seized the drugs", consider "The drugs had been seized by the police" if the drugs are the central focus.

Linguistic Context

"Had been seized" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It describes an action (seizing) that was completed before another point in the past, with the subject receiving the action. Ludwig shows that this structure is commonly used to report events in a factual or legal context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been seized" is a past perfect passive construction indicating an action of taking or capturing that was completed before another point in the past. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It is frequently used in news reports, academic texts, and legal contexts, as evidenced by the numerous examples. Its function is to report a past event objectively, and it generally carries a neutral to formal tone. While alternatives like "was confiscated" or "was captured" exist, "had been seized" is particularly useful for emphasizing the action of taking in relation to another past event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was confiscated

Replaces "seized" with "confiscated", emphasizing legal or official taking.

was captured

Substitutes "seized" with "captured", suggesting a taking by force or skill.

was impounded

Replaces "seized" with "impounded", specifically referring to the taking of property into legal custody.

was taken into custody

Replaces "seized" with a longer phrase, "taken into custody", often used in legal contexts.

was appropriated

Substitutes "seized" with "appropriated", implying a formal or official taking for a specific purpose.

was commandeered

Replaces "seized" with "commandeered", indicating a taking for military or public use.

was requisitioned

Substitutes "seized" with "requisitioned", emphasizing an official demand or taking.

was expropriated

Replaces "seized" with "expropriated", specifically referring to the taking of private property for public use.

was distrained

Substitutes "seized" with "distrained", referring to the legal seizure of goods to satisfy a debt.

was attached

Replaces "seized" with "attached", indicating a legal process of taking property to satisfy a debt or judgment.

FAQs

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

"Had been seized" indicates that something was taken or captured at a point in the past, often in a legal or formal context. For example: "The evidence "had been seized" by the authorities during the investigation."

What are some alternatives to "had been seized"?

You can use alternatives like "was confiscated", "was captured", or "was impounded" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "had been seized"?

It is appropriate when you want to emphasize that something was taken or captured before another event occurred, particularly in legal, historical, or formal contexts. The passive voice emphasizes the object that was taken.

What is the difference between "had been seized" and "was seized"?

"Had been seized" indicates that the action of seizing occurred before another point in the past. "Was seized" simply indicates that the action occurred in the past without specifying its relation to another past event.