had been upheld

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been upheld" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
You can use "had been upheld" when you want to describe an action that happened in the past and was confirmed or supported by someone or something else. Example: The Supreme Court had ruled that the law had been upheld, despite strong opposition from the public.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

That theory had been upheld through astronomical observations in 1919.

The New York Times

The conviction had been upheld by a crown court.

The Guardian

The refusals had been upheld in every court.

The New York Times

The refusals had been upheld by every court.

The New York Times

A verdict which had been upheld by the London courts.

The Guardian

The plan had been upheld by the federal appeals court in Boston.

The New York Times

The law had been upheld in public referenda in 1989 and 2009.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Complaints about one of his programmes had been upheld by the Independent Television Commission.

The Guardian - Opinion

If any such punishment had been upheld following appeal, they might have quit the sport.

The Guardian - Sport

After his tee shot on the 15th hole, Palmer learned that his appeal had been upheld.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Exporting has been upheld as the "Golden Standard" for industrial upgrading.

World Development

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had been upheld", ensure the context clearly indicates what was being supported or maintained, and by whom. For example: "The court's decision had been upheld by the appellate court."

Common error

Avoid passive voice constructions that obscure the actor responsible for upholding something. Instead of "The decision had been upheld", specify who upheld it: "The judge had upheld the decision."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been upheld" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that a prior decision, rule, or principle received support or confirmation at a point preceding another event in the past. Ludwig confirms this with multiple examples of its usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had been upheld" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that something was previously supported or confirmed. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct and frequently appears in formal contexts such as news reports, legal documents, and academic articles. To ensure clarity in your writing, specify what was being upheld and by whom. Avoid using passive voice constructions that obscure the agent responsible for supporting the decision or principle. Some alternatives for "had been upheld" are "was sustained", "was confirmed" and "was validated", which provide similar meanings but subtly alter the emphasis of the sentence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was confirmed

Emphasizes the verification of something's truth or validity.

was affirmed

Stresses a formal declaration of support or agreement.

was validated

Highlights the confirmation of something's accuracy or correctness.

was ratified

Implies a formal approval, often by a governing body or authority.

was endorsed

Indicates an official approval or support.

was sustained

Focuses on the continuation of a previous state or decision, implying a lack of change.

was vindicated

Suggests that someone or something has been proven right after doubt or accusation.

was corroborated

Highlights the provision of additional evidence to support something.

was maintained

Emphasizes the act of keeping something in its current state or condition.

was preserved

Focuses on protecting something from harm or change.

FAQs

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

Use "had been upheld" to indicate that a previous decision, ruling, or principle was supported or confirmed at a later time. For example: "The initial verdict "had been upheld" by the Supreme Court."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "had been upheld"?

Alternatives include "was sustained", "was confirmed", or "was validated", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "has been upheld" instead of "had been upheld"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they describe different timeframes. "Has been upheld" indicates something is currently supported, while "had been upheld" refers to a past action that supported something else in the past. For example: "The new policy "has been upheld" by the board now", vs "the previous ban "had been upheld" until new evidence emerged."

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

"Had been upheld" indicates a past perfect action, emphasizing that the upholding occurred before another point in the past. "Was upheld" simply states that something was supported or confirmed at some point in the past. Therefore, "The initial ruling "was upheld"", is less explicit than "The initial ruling "had been upheld" prior to the appeal".