had been touted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been touted" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has been publicly praised or recommended in the past. Example: "The new smartphone had been touted as the best on the market before its release."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

For years, she had been touted as a future star.

The New Yorker

The Alabama race had been touted, by the Bannon crew, as a fight for Trump's soul.

The New Yorker

Unilever, another global food giant that had been touted as a possible bidder, ruled itself out recently.

The Economist

UNTIL recently, the idea of an Aliev dynasty had been touted mainly by Azerbaijan's embattled opposition press.

The Economist

Mr Hulot had been touted as the candidate to help the Greens break out of their militant ecological ghetto.

Independent

Whittaker, who rose to fame in ITV's crime drama Broadchurch, had been touted as one of the contenders.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The xx had been touted in advance of the release of their self-titled début album, a week later, but the hype seemed to have immobilized them.

The New Yorker

Foreign affairs have been entrusted to Amina Mohamed, a diplomat who had been touted for a top job at the World Trade Organisation.

The Economist

THIS month's elections in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and its leading oil producer, had been touted as a chance to embed democracy there.

The Economist

Almost pulling off an interview regarding a complex legal case that involved Apple, Mr Goma's tale had been touted as the inspiration for a film in 2006.

Independent

Only 15,000 Iraqis had been hired to work on reconstruction projects funded with the Supplemental, rather than the 250,000 that had been touted.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been touted" when you want to emphasize that something was previously promoted or praised, especially if that promotion might now be viewed with skepticism or irony.

Common error

Avoid excessive use of passive constructions like "had been touted" in your writing. Active voice often makes your sentences more direct and engaging. For example, instead of "The product had been touted as revolutionary", consider "Reviewers touted the product as revolutionary".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been touted" functions as a passive construction, indicating that something was publicly praised or recommended. It's often used to introduce a subject that was previously promoted, sometimes with a hint of skepticism or irony. Ludwig provides numerous examples in news and media contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Wiki

9%

Science & Research

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Huffington Post

2%

Los Angeles Times

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been touted" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that was previously promoted or praised, often implying that the initial enthusiasm might now be viewed with skepticism. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's frequently found in news and media contexts, though it also appears in academic and formal writing. When using this phrase, consider whether the passive voice is the most effective choice, and be mindful of the potential implication that the earlier praise may have been exaggerated. Alternative phrases such as "had been promoted" or "had been acclaimed" may be more appropriate depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been promoted

Focuses more on active marketing and advertising efforts.

had been acclaimed

Emphasizes widespread critical praise and recognition.

had been praised

A more general term for expressing approval or admiration.

had been recommended

Implies a suggestion for use or consideration.

had been heralded

Suggests a more enthusiastic and public announcement or celebration.

had been advertised

Focuses on the commercial aspect of promoting a product or service.

had been publicized

Highlights the act of making something widely known.

had been celebrated

Emphasizes recognition and appreciation for an achievement or event.

had been talked up

Suggests informal and enthusiastic promotion, often through word-of-mouth.

had been plugged

Implies a more direct and sometimes forceful promotion.

FAQs

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

Use "had been touted" to indicate that something was previously praised or promoted, often with the implication that the praise may have been exaggerated or premature. For example, "The technology "had been touted" as a game-changer, but it failed to deliver".

What are some alternatives to "had been touted"?

You can use alternatives such as "had been promoted", "had been acclaimed", or "had been praised" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with a phrase like "had been touted"?

While "had been touted" is grammatically correct, using the active voice can sometimes make your writing more direct. For example, instead of "The solution "had been touted" as innovative", you could write "Experts touted the solution as innovative".

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

"Had been touted" implies that the touting occurred at some point in the past and is now complete or potentially viewed differently. "Was touted" simply indicates that the touting happened in the past without necessarily implying a change in perspective. For example, "The movie "was touted" as a masterpiece" suggests recent praise, while "The movie "had been touted" as a masterpiece" suggests the praise might be outdated or questionable.