has been leaking

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been leaking" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something has been leaking or spilling for a period of time. For example, "The roof of the house has been leaking for weeks and needs to be repaired."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

"Joy has been leaking out of our life," she wrote.

The New York Times - Books

Acid has been leaking all over the place.

The Guardian

And why do you think the club has been leaking goals so early in games?

The New York Times

"Our beach and our dune system has been leaking, compromised, and now it's just completely done".

The New York Times

Some think the oil has been leaking since the early 1900s.

The Economist

Something has been leaking through a system that's supposed to be the tightest in the world.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

It too has been leaked.

The Guardian

"All this stuff has been leaked," Mr. Coombs said.

The New York Times

The album has been leaked across the Internet for days.

The New York Times

The US spy agency's writing manual has been leaked.

The Guardian

Now that it has been leaked, it will be up to Rwanda as well.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the source of the leak, be specific. Instead of just saying "information has been leaking", specify "confidential data has been leaking from the server".

Common error

Avoid confusing "leaking", which means emitting or disclosing something, with "lacking", which means being without something. For example, saying "the company has been lacking profits" is correct if profits are absent, while "the company has been leaking profits" suggests that profits are somehow escaping or being lost.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been leaking" functions as the present perfect continuous tense of the verb 'leak'. It indicates an action that started in the past, continues into the present, and may continue into the future. According to Ludwig AI, this is a correct and usable English phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Academia

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has been leaking" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression in English. As indicated by Ludwig AI, its primary function is to describe an action that began in the past and continues into the present, often implying an ongoing or persistent emission, flow, or disclosure. It's commonly found in news and media contexts, as well as in scientific and business communications. While highly versatile, it's important to avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like "lacking". When using "has been leaking", it's helpful to be specific about the source and nature of what's leaking to ensure clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been seeping

Replaces 'leaking' with 'seeping', implying a slow, gradual flow or escape.

has been spilling

Substitutes 'leaking' with 'spilling', suggesting a more forceful or accidental release.

has been escaping

Replaces 'leaking' with 'escaping', emphasizing the act of something getting out or away.

has been oozing

Uses 'oozing' instead of 'leaking' to describe a thick or viscous substance slowly flowing out.

has been trickling

Replaces 'leaking' with 'trickling', indicating a very small, intermittent flow.

has been dripping

Uses 'dripping' instead of 'leaking' to suggest a flow in drops.

has been disclosing

Changes 'leaking' to 'disclosing', focusing on the revelation of information.

has been revealing

Similar to 'disclosing', but emphasizes the act of making something known.

has been divulging

Substitutes 'leaking' with 'divulging', suggesting the revealing of confidential information.

has been emanating

Replaces 'leaking' with 'emanating', to describe something intangible spreading from a source.

FAQs

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

Use "has been leaking" to describe a continuous process of something escaping or being revealed over time. For example, "The pipe "has been leaking" for days", or "Information "has been leaking" to the press".

What's the difference between "has been leaking" and "has leaked"?

"Has been leaking" implies a continuous action over a period, while "has leaked" suggests a completed action. "The roof "has been leaking"" suggests an ongoing problem. "The report "has leaked"" means it was disclosed at some point in the past.

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

You can use alternatives like "has been seeping", "has been spilling", or "has been escaping" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "has been leaking out"?

Yes, "has been leaking out" is grammatically correct and emphasizes the outward direction of the leaking. It's often used when describing information or secrets being revealed, such as "Details of the deal "has been leaking out" over the past few days".