has been only

USAGE SUMMARY

"has been only" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to emphasize that something has happened in the recent past or has continued until now. It is often used in contrast to something that was expected or hoped for. Example: "The team has been only marginally successful this season, with only two wins under their belt. Fans are disappointed, as they were hoping for a strong showing from the talented players. However, the coach remains confident in the team's abilities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

This year has been only slightly better.

The Economist

Integration has been only a partial success.

The Economist

He has been only partly successful.

The Economist

But this success has been only partial.

The New York Times

Traffic growth has been only modest.

The Economist

The process has been only gradual.

The Economist

Water, too, has been only intermittently available.

The New Yorker

This ploy has been only partly successful.

The Guardian - Business

And there has been only one mayor.

The New York Times

(There has been only one prosecution).

The Guardian

That has been only partly successful.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been only" to emphasize the limited extent or duration of something, particularly when contrasting it with expectations or possibilities.

Common error

Avoid using "has been only" in sentences where a simpler phrasing would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose. Instead of "The project has been only partially successful", consider "The project was only partially successful".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been only" functions as part of a verb phrase, typically indicating a limitation or qualification of the action or state described by the verb. Ludwig examples show the phrase modifying the extent or degree of the verb's impact.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

1%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been only" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that serves to qualify or limit the scope of an action or state. Ludwig examples show it in diverse contexts, from news and media to scientific publications. As Ludwig AI emphasizes, the phrase often conveys a sense of recent occurrence, incompleteness or insufficiency. While versatile, overuse in simple sentences should be avoided to maintain clarity and conciseness. Remember that there are several alternative ways to express a similar idea, consider "has merely been" or "has simply been", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has merely been

Emphasizes the insignificance or limitation of the action or state.

has simply been

Highlights the straightforward or uncomplicated nature of the action or state.

has just been

Indicates that the action or state has occurred very recently.

has partially been

Suggests that only a portion of the action or state has been completed.

has only recently been

Emphasizes the newness or recency of the action or state.

has scarcely been

Implies that the action or state has barely occurred or existed.

has hardly been

Indicates that the action or state has occurred to a very small degree.

there has only been

Focuses on the limited quantity or number of occurrences.

it has only been

Draws attention to the fact that something occurred only a short time ago.

this has been only

Highlights that the current situation is just the beginning or a limited part of a larger process.

FAQs

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

Use "has been only" to indicate that something has occurred to a limited extent or for a short duration. For example, "Progress "has been only" incremental due to budget constraints".

What are some alternatives to "has been only"?

You can use alternatives like "has merely been", "has simply been", or "has just been" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "had been only" instead of "has been only"?

While both are grammatically correct, "had been only" refers to a past perfect tense, indicating something that was limited before a specific point in the past. "Has been only" refers to something that is currently limited. Choose the tense that accurately reflects the timeline you're describing.

What's the difference between "has been only" and "has been merely"?

"Has been only" emphasizes the limited quantity or extent, while "has been merely" suggests that something is insignificant or not as important as expected.