has been bought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'has been bought' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the phrase when you want to talk about the recent completion of a purchase. For example, "This new laptop has been bought, so now I can work more efficiently."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Property has been bought for speculation.

The Economist

In brief, the republic has been bought.

The New Yorker

And the progress has been bought at a price.

The Economist

Meanwhile, Ben & Jerry's has been bought by Unilever.

The Guardian - Opinion

Light goes off" – has been bought by the Tate.

The Guardian - Arts

Not necessarily that has been bought for them (although that helps), but definitely has been bought for a reason.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Within the past year, Budweiser, America's favourite beer, has been bought by a Belgian-Brazilian conglomerate.

The Economist

Whether such punctuality has been bought at the expense of scientific effectiveness remains to be seen.

The Economist

It's a major turnaround in the way meat has been bought and sold.

The New York Times - Food

The company has been bought out and was conspicuous in its absence.

The New York Times

But that improvement has been bought with great gobs of public money (see chart).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing who or what did the buying, restructure the sentence. For example, instead of "The house has been bought," say "John bought the house."

Common error

Avoid using "has been bought" when you intend to describe the act of buying, not the state of being bought. Instead of "He has been bought a new car", use "He has bought a new car".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been bought" functions as the passive voice of the verb "buy" in the present perfect tense. It indicates that the subject of the sentence has undergone the action of being purchased. As Ludwig shows, it is commonly used to convey that a transaction or acquisition has been completed.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been bought" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression in the English language. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides numerous examples from reputable sources, primarily in the news and business sectors. It functions as a passive construction in the present perfect tense, indicating that a purchase or acquisition has recently occurred. While alternatives like "was purchased" or "was acquired" exist, "has been bought" specifically highlights the recent completion of the buying process. When using this phrase, ensure that the focus is on the object that has been bought, not the act of buying itself. Avoiding this mistake will ensure clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was purchased

Synonymous with "has been bought" but uses a different verb tense and word choice.

was acquired

Focuses on the action of acquiring something, without necessarily implying a monetary transaction.

was sold to

Focuses on the seller's perspective in the transaction, rather than the buyer.

has been obtained

Indicates the act of gaining possession of something, which might not always involve buying.

has been secured

Suggests that something valuable has been obtained, often through effort or competition.

is now owned by

Emphasizes the current state of ownership, rather than the action of buying.

is under new ownership

Highlights the change in ownership, implying a recent purchase or transfer.

changed hands

An idiomatic expression indicating a transfer of ownership through buying or selling.

was taken over by

Implies a larger-scale acquisition, often of a company or organization.

is now the property of

A formal way of stating ownership, typically used in legal or official contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "has been bought" in a sentence?

Use "has been bought" to indicate that something was acquired recently. For example: "The painting "has been bought" by a private collector."

What are some alternatives to "has been bought"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "was purchased", "was acquired", or "is now owned by".

What's the difference between "has been bought" and "was bought"?

"Has been bought" implies a more recent action and connection to the present. "Was bought" simply states a past event without necessarily emphasizing its recency.

Is it correct to say "has been buy" instead of "has been bought"?

No, "has been buy" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""has been bought"", using the past participle form of the verb 'to buy'.