had remained locked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had remained locked" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a state of something that has not changed or has stayed in a locked condition over a period of time in the past. Example: "The door had remained locked since the incident, preventing anyone from entering the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Examining the shop's safe, police saw that its handle had received a hammer blow, but had remained locked.

The Guardian - Business

Only later did these amounts increase, so that the quantities which we have seen in this film had actually not yet been seen by the Reichsbank because they were contained in boxes or trunks which until then had remained locked.

Yale University

According to a member of the temple, Phdsamay had remained locked in his room for months.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Since that time, the detention centre has remained locked down.

The Guardian

Since then, the state's files have remained locked away at the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in Anchorage.

The New York Times

Grandma Pinkie guards a terrible secret, kept within a room that has remained locked for 16 years.

Independent

Her husband, a farm worker, has remained locked up while officials weigh his claim to be in danger.

The New York Times

But over the last year, the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan have remained locked in political disputes that have resulted in violence along our shared border and a growing economic crisis.

The New York Times

Siberia's peatbogs have been churning out methane for 11,000 years but billions of tonnes of the gas has remained locked within the permafrost that covers it.

The Guardian

The vaults containing the offerings have remained locked at least since the 1930s, when the last inventory was reportedly carried out by Travancore's then rulers.

The Guardian

As the United States has tried to put pressure on each side, Israelis and Palestinians have remained locked in a standoff in which each accuses the other of ignoring treaty obligations.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had remained locked" to clearly indicate that something was locked in the past and continued to be so over a period, emphasizing the duration of the state.

Common error

Avoid using "had remained locked" when the context only requires a simple past tense. For example, use "the door remained locked" if the focus is on a single instance of the door being locked, rather than the duration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had remained locked" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of being that persisted over time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and usable. It describes a continuous condition where something was locked and stayed that way.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had remained locked" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to describe a continuous state of being locked from a point in the past until a later time. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. While "had remained locked" is relatively rare, as shown by the limited number of examples, it can be found in both news and academic contexts. Consider alternatives like "had stayed secured" or "had continued to be locked" to add emphasis to the continuity. When using this phrase, ensure the tense is appropriate to the context, and avoid overusing it when a simple past tense would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had stayed secured

Replaces "locked" with "secured", emphasizing the state of being protected or fastened.

had continued to be locked

Adds emphasis on the continuity of the state of being locked.

had been continuously locked

Highlights the uninterrupted nature of the locked state.

had persisted in a locked state

Emphasizes the persistence of the locked condition over time.

had consistently stayed locked

Stresses the consistency of the locked state.

had not been unlocked

Focuses on the absence of unlocking, maintaining the secured state.

had been kept locked

Highlights the action of keeping something in a locked state.

had been invariably locked

Implies that the locked state was without exception.

had been firmly locked

Emphasizes the strength and security of the locking mechanism.

had been securely fastened

Replaces "locked" with a broader term for securing, implying strong attachment.

FAQs

What does "had remained locked" mean?

The phrase "had remained locked" indicates that something was locked at some point in the past and continued to be in a locked state until a later time. It emphasizes the continuity of the locked condition.

What are some alternatives to "had remained locked"?

You can use alternatives such as "had stayed secured", "had continued to be locked", or "had not been unlocked" depending on the specific context.

Is "had remained locked" grammatically correct?

Yes, "had remained locked" is grammatically correct. It uses the past perfect tense of "remain" with the past participle of "lock" to describe a state that persisted from the past into a more recent time.

How can I use "had remained locked" in a sentence?

You can use "had remained locked" in sentences like: "The vault "had remained locked" since the 1930s", or "Despite attempts to open it, the safe "had remained locked"".