had been surrendered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been surrendered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you need to indicate that something was given up in the past. For example, "By the end of the war, all enemy forces had been surrendered."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

The solid bases of law and power that Sulla had tried to give it had been surrendered, however.

Encyclopedia Britannica

South Africa's captain must have calculated that he almost had enough runs, but the initiative had been surrendered.

The Guardian - Sport

Ros Kayes, parliamentary candidate for the target seat of West Dorset, said ground had been surrendered to the Tories on the NHS, welfare and education.

Independent

Those that had been surrendered were crude, not the army weapons the militiamen have been using.The ineffectual armed-forces chief, Admiral Widodo Adi Sutjipto, is tipped to go.

The Economist

Because Mr. Salaam had been surrendered, a judge set his new bail at $75,000, which Mr. Salaam has not posted.

The New York Times

The Stalin agent who assassinated Trotsky, in Mexico in 1940, was travelling on a Canadian passport that had been surrendered this way.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Mississippi State had been surrendering just 338.5 yards per game.

The New York Times

The Iranians, in turn, insist that nothing has been surrendered.

The Economist

It neutralises fiscal policy just as monetary policy has been surrendered to the European central bank.

The Economist

Under the euro, monetary authority has been surrendered in all but four of the EU countries.

The Economist

It will have been surrendered by City as much as won by United.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been surrendered" to clearly indicate that something was given up in the past, often emphasizing the completion of the action and its consequences. For example, "The fort had been surrendered before reinforcements arrived."

Common error

Avoid using "had been surrendered" when a simple past passive construction like "was surrendered" is more appropriate. "Was surrendered" is suitable if you're only describing the act of surrendering, whereas "had been surrendered" emphasizes that the action was completed before another event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been surrendered" functions as a past perfect passive construction. This grammatical structure indicates that an action of surrendering was completed before a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, this is a correct and usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had been surrendered" is a grammatically correct and commonly used past perfect passive construction that indicates an action of surrendering was completed before a specific point in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for neutral to formal writing contexts, primarily found in News & Media and Encyclopedias. When writing, be mindful to use this phrase when you need to emphasize the completion of the surrender before another event. Consider alternatives like "had been yielded" or "had been ceded" based on specific context. Avoid confusing it with the simple past passive "was surrendered", which does not imply a prior event. Overall, "had been surrendered" is a versatile tool for describing past events with an emphasis on completion and consequence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been yielded

Replaces "surrendered" with a synonym emphasizing compliance or submission.

had been ceded

Suggests a formal transfer of control or territory.

had been relinquished

Implies a voluntary abandonment of something.

had been forfeited

Indicates a loss as a penalty for wrongdoing or failure.

had been abandoned

Focuses on the act of leaving something behind, often due to necessity.

had been conceded

Emphasizes admitting defeat or acknowledging an opponent's victory.

had been sacrificed

Highlights the act of giving something up for a greater purpose.

had been handed over

Suggests a physical transfer of possession or control.

had been turned over

Implies a transfer of responsibility or authority.

had been yielded up

Similar to "had been yielded" but with a more emphatic or forceful tone.

FAQs

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

Use "had been surrendered" to describe a past action of giving something up that was completed before another event occurred. For example, "The territory "had been surrendered" before the peace treaty was signed."

What are some alternatives to using "had been surrendered"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "had been yielded", "had been ceded", or "had been relinquished" to convey similar meanings.

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

"Had been surrendered" indicates an action completed before another point in the past, while "was surrendered" simply describes a past action. The former emphasizes the completion relative to another event.

Is "had been surrendered" formal or informal language?

"Had been surrendered" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts, often appearing in news articles, encyclopedias, and academic writing. The formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary than the phrase itself.