had been turned down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had been turned down" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a request, offer, or proposal was rejected in the past. Example: "After applying for the job, I was disappointed to learn that my application had been turned down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

She had been turned down.

The New Yorker

Just one had been turned down.

The Economist

It had been turned down a lot".

The Guardian

Several artists before them had been turned down as unsuitable.

The New Yorker

"Malloy" had been turned down by seven publishers.

The Economist

Russian television reported that his resignation had been turned down.

The Guardian

His application for asylum had been turned down twice.

The New York Times - Magazine

But he said he had been turned down.

The New York Times

An application for a United States visa had been turned down.

The New York Times - Arts

Moreover, the work had been turned down by every major commercial publishing house.

The New York Times - Books

When Kyle was in elementary school, for example, he had been turned down for occupational therapy.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been turned down", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what did the turning down. For example, "The proposal had been turned down by the committee."

Common error

Avoid using "had been turned down" without specifying the actor unless it's clear from the context. Omitting the actor can lead to ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been turned down" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that something (a request, application, etc.) experienced the action of being rejected prior to a specific point in time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been turned down" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that indicates a past rejection. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its prevalence in news and media demonstrates its utility in conveying factual information. While versatile, writers should be mindful of the context, opting for more formal alternatives like "was rejected" in certain settings. Remember to clearly specify the actor doing the turning down to avoid ambiguity. This phrase effectively communicates that something faced rejection before a particular time in the past.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been rejected

Replaces "turned down" with a more direct synonym for rejection.

had been refused

Similar to "rejected", but emphasizes the act of declining a request or offer.

had been denied

Implies that permission or access was not granted.

had been declined

A more formal way of saying "turned down".

was not accepted

Uses a passive construction to convey that something was not approved.

was not granted

Focuses on the lack of authorization or permission.

met with refusal

Emphasizes the encounter with rejection.

application was unsuccessful

Specifically refers to a failed application process.

request was denied

Specifically refers to the denial of a request.

bid was rejected

Indicates the rejection of a bid or offer, often in a business context.

FAQs

How is "had been turned down" used in a sentence?

The phrase "had been turned down" indicates that a request, application, or offer was rejected at some point in the past. For example: "His application "had been turned down" twice."

What are some alternatives to "had been turned down"?

Alternatives include "had been rejected", "had been refused", or "had been denied". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "had been turned down" or "was rejected"?

"Had been turned down" and "was rejected" are similar in meaning, but "had been turned down" implies a more informal tone. "Was rejected" is more direct and formal. Both are grammatically correct.

When should I use "had been turned down" instead of "has been turned down"?

Use "had been turned down" when referring to a rejection that occurred in the past relative to another past event. Use "has been turned down" when referring to a rejection that has occurred recently and has relevance to the present.