had lapsed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had lapsed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has expired, ceased, or come to an end, often referring to time or a status that has changed. Example: "The subscription had lapsed, and I was no longer able to access the premium content."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

The federal assault weapons ban had lapsed.

The New York Times

I thought it had lapsed," he said.

The Guardian

They discovered that the rights had lapsed in 2008.

The Guardian - Film

So far this year, he had lapsed just once.

The New York Times - Travel

The bailout program had lapsed, and the offered terms were no longer on offer.

The New Yorker

It was also unclear if she was currently on medication or had lapsed in her treatment.

The New York Times

She's goddamned dead!" Was she ever worried that Carole had lapsed into fantasy?

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Construction permits have lapsed.

The New York Times

The warranties have lapsed.

The Guardian

This confidence has lapsed.

The Guardian

A: Your print subscription may have lapsed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had lapsed", ensure the context clearly indicates what has expired or ceased. This helps avoid ambiguity and strengthens the clarity of your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had lapsed" when referring to something that has only recently expired or ceased. This tense indicates a past action with continuing relevance, not an immediate occurrence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had lapsed" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating that an action or state of being expired or ceased before another point in the past. This use is consistent across various contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had lapsed" is a versatile past perfect verb phrase used to indicate that something has expired or ceased before a specific point in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly found in various contexts, including news media, scientific literature, and academic writing. When using "had lapsed", ensure that the context clearly defines what has expired and the timeframe in which it occurred. This helps to prevent any ambiguity. Alternatives include ""had expired"", "had ended" and "had terminated", depending on the context. The phrase enjoys widespread use across authoritative sources, making it a reliable choice for formal and informal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had expired

Emphasizes the formal end of a valid period or agreement.

had terminated

Implies a more definitive and often official ending.

had ended

A general term indicating the cessation of something.

had ceased

Highlights the stopping of an action or state.

had run out

Suggests that a resource or time limit was fully consumed.

had become invalid

Focuses on the loss of validity or legal standing.

had become void

Indicates that something is no longer effective or binding.

had lost its effect

Emphasizes the diminished impact or influence of something.

had fallen into disuse

Suggests a gradual decline in usage or practice.

had become inactive

Implies a state of dormancy or non-operation.

FAQs

How can I use "had lapsed" in a sentence?

Use "had lapsed" to indicate that something was previously in effect but is no longer valid. For example, "His membership "had expired", so he could not access the facilities."

What is a synonym for "had lapsed"?

Synonyms include ""had expired"", "had ended", or "had terminated", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has lapsed" instead of "had lapsed"?

The correct tense depends on the context. "Has lapsed" indicates something that has recently expired, while "had lapsed" refers to something that expired in the past, relative to another past event. For example, "His membership has lapsed" implies it just expired, while "His membership had lapsed before he tried to renew it" indicates it expired sometime before his renewal attempt.

What's the difference between "had lapsed" and "expired"?

"Had lapsed" is used to indicate that something ended or became invalid before a certain point in the past. "Expired" can be used in both the past and present perfect tenses. "The warranty had lapsed before the device broke" uses past perfect, while "The warranty expired yesterday" uses simple past.