had won

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had won" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is the past perfect tense of the verb "to win" and is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action. Here is an example: "After months of training, she had won the race and was declared the champion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Liverpool had won.

The New Yorker

Still none had won.

The New York Times - Sports

She had won recognition.

The New Yorker

She had won.

The New Yorker

Morsi had won.

The New Yorker

The Republicans had won.

The New York Times

And they had won.

The New York Times

I had won.

The New York Times - Magazine

We had won.

The New York Times

He had won.

The New York Times - Sports

Variety had won again.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had won" to clearly establish that a victory occurred before another event in the past, providing a sequence of events for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "had won" when referring to a present or future outcome. This tense is strictly for past actions completed before another point in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had won" functions as the past perfect tense of the verb "win". As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to describe an action that was completed before another action in the past. It's crucial for establishing a clear sequence of events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0.5%

Reference

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had won" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction in the English language. As Ludwig AI points out, it's the past perfect tense of the verb "win", employed to indicate an action completed before another point in the past. The examples provided by Ludwig showcase its versatility across various contexts, particularly in news and media. This analysis underscores that "had won" is appropriate for describing a past victory that precedes another event, ensuring clarity in the sequence of actions. While highly versatile, remember to use it to refer to past actions that have already concluded.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had triumphed

Replaces "won" with a more emphatic term, suggesting a significant victory.

had prevailed

Suggests winning after a period of struggle or conflict.

had been victorious

Uses a more formal and descriptive phrasing to indicate a state of winning.

had been the victor

A formal way to state that someone had won, emphasizing their role as the winner.

had secured a victory

Emphasizes the act of obtaining a win through effort or strategy.

had emerged as the winner

Highlights the process of becoming the winner, often from a competitive field.

had come out on top

An idiomatic expression that implies overcoming challenges to win.

had clinched the title

Specifically refers to winning a championship or title.

had achieved success

Broadens the concept of winning to include general positive outcomes.

had taken the lead

Implies winning a competition by surpassing others.

FAQs

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

Use "had won" to indicate an action of winning that was completed before another action in the past. For instance, "By the time the celebration started, the team "had won" the championship."

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

"Won" indicates a simple past action, while "had won" (past perfect) indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "She won the race" (simple past) versus "She "had won" the race before the awards ceremony" (past perfect).

What can I say instead of "had won"?

You can use alternatives like "had triumphed", "had been victorious", or "had prevailed", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "have won" instead of "had won"?

No, "have won" is present perfect and indicates an action completed at an unspecified time before now. "Had won" is past perfect, used for actions completed before another point in the past. The choice depends on the relationship between the timings of the actions.