has been down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been down" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that something has been in a state of decline or malfunction for a period of time. Example: "The website has been down for several hours, causing frustration among users."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Younger Daughter has been down with mumps.

The Economist

Advertising has been down constantly".

The New York Times

Attendance has been down in recent years.

The New York Times - Arts

"The trend in inflation has been down," Mr. Sullivan said.

The New York Times

"The number of lobster pots out there has been down".

The New York Times

For some it has been down to a new strategy.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Let PSNRcoding_down denote the PSNR of a video that has been down-sampled and encoded.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The site had been down for hours.

The New York Times

"I've been down before.

The New York Times - Sports

I've been down there.

The New York Times - Sports

So we've been down there.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a service or system outage, use "has been down" to clearly indicate that it is currently unavailable or has been for a period of time. For example, "The server "has been down" since this morning."

Common error

Avoid using "has been down" when you intend to express a permanent state or irreversible condition. For example, instead of saying "His health "has been down"", consider using "His health has declined" to accurately reflect a long-term deterioration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been down" functions as a present perfect construction, indicating a state that began in the past and continues to have relevance in the present. This usage is supported by Ludwig's analysis, which recognizes the grammatical correctness of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been down" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a temporary state of unavailability or decline. As confirmed by Ludwig, its usage spans various contexts, including news, science, and general communication. While generally neutral in tone, it's crucial to differentiate it from phrases indicating permanent conditions. By understanding its proper application and potential alternatives, writers can effectively convey the intended meaning with precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been unavailable

Emphasizes the state of not being accessible or usable.

has been out of service

Specifically refers to a temporary interruption of service or functionality.

has declined

Focuses on the decreasing state of something, rather than a temporary outage.

has decreased

Similar to 'has declined', but emphasizes a numerical or measurable reduction.

has experienced a downturn

Refers to a period of decline, typically in economic or business contexts.

has deteriorated

Implies a progressive worsening of a condition or state.

has taken a hit

Suggests a negative impact or damage.

has suffered a setback

Highlights a negative event that caused a decline.

has lapsed

Suggests a temporary cease of operation, activity, or availability.

has fallen

A more general term indicating a drop or reduction in value, status, or level.

FAQs

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

You can use "has been down" to indicate that something is not working or is unavailable for a period of time. For example, "The website "has been down" all morning", or "Her spirits "has been down" since she heard the news."

What's the difference between "has been down" and "has declined"?

"Has been down" typically refers to a temporary state of being non-functional or unavailable, while "has declined" indicates a longer-term decrease or deterioration.

What can I say instead of "has been down"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "has been unavailable", "has been out of service", or "has deteriorated".

Is it correct to say "have been down" instead of "has been down"?

No, "have been down" is used with plural subjects (e.g., "They have been down"), while "has been down" is used with singular subjects (e.g., "She has been down").