had competed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had competed" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the past perfect tense to indicate that a competition occurred before another past event. Example: "By the time the finals arrived, she had competed in several regional tournaments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Neither had competed in the special election.

The New York Times

SmithKline Beecham had competed aggressively on price.

The New York Times

She had competed in two previous Winter Games.

Encyclopedia Britannica

G.M. and Ford had competed head-on for decades.

The New York Times

In 2014, only one player had competed in the Olympics.

The New York Times - Sports

Only Pinky had competed in rodeo events as a teenager.

The Guardian - Sport

Woods had competed at Cog Hill every year since 1997.

The New York Times - Sports

He remembers that time with as much pride and wistfulness as if he had competed.

Stanford University

It was getting late; before I went inside, Qi said he had competed in poetry competitions.

The New Yorker

Both Souths were in three no-trump after West had competed in spades.

The New York Times

(Irish athletes had competed for Great Britain in previous games, since 1896).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had competed" to clearly establish that the act of competing occurred before another event in the past. For example, "Before the championship, she had competed in several local tournaments".

Common error

Avoid using "had competed" when simply describing a past competition without relating it to another past event. Use the simple past tense "competed" instead. For example, say "She competed in the Olympics last year" instead of "She had competed in the Olympics last year" unless you are referring to something else that happened after that competition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had competed" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating an action (competing) that was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig AI shows numerous examples across various domains.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Academia

15%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Science

11%

Encyclopedias

9%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had competed" is a past perfect verb phrase commonly used to indicate that an action of competing occurred before another point in the past. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and widely used across various sources, including news media, academic texts, and encyclopedias. When writing, remember to use "had competed" to clearly establish the sequence of past events, differentiating it from the simple past tense. Alternative phrases include "had participated" and "had taken part".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had participated

Replaces "competed" with a more general term for taking part.

had taken part

A more common and less formal way to say "had competed".

had contended

Similar to "competed", but suggests a more intense or challenging engagement.

had vied

Implies a strong rivalry or competition.

had battled

Suggests a fierce or prolonged competition.

had faced off

Implies a direct confrontation in a competition.

had played

Applicable when the competition is a game or sport.

had challenged

Focuses on the act of confronting or opposing an opponent.

had striven

Emphasizes the effort and struggle involved in the competition.

had measured up

Highlights the aspect of comparing one's abilities against others.

FAQs

How do I use "had competed" in a sentence?

Use "had competed" to indicate that an action of competing took place before another action in the past. For instance, "By the time he won the championship, he "had competed" in numerous smaller tournaments".

What can I say instead of "had competed"?

You can use alternatives like "had participated", "had taken part", or "had vied" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "competed" instead of "had competed"?

It depends on the context. Use "competed" (simple past) to describe a past event. Use "had competed" (past perfect) to show that the competition happened before another event in the past.

What's the difference between "had competed" and "competed"?

"Competed" refers to a simple past action, while "had competed" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "He competed in the race" vs. "He "had competed" in the race before he injured his ankle".