has been refused

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been refused" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to express that someone or something has been denied. For example: "The application for a loan has been refused."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Astonishingly, he has been refused a visa.

The Economist

Epstein's money has been refused before.

The Guardian

The trust does not record whether help has been refused.

The Guardian

He has been refused bail and is expected to appear in court again in April.

Independent

In fact, since 1984, no jurisdiction seeking a bailout has been refused one.

The New York Times

They want all foreign troops out of the country, but that, unsurprisingly, has been refused them.

The Economist

Mr Marques has been refused bail as he represented a flight risk.

Independent

He said: "We are disappointed our petition for judicial review has been refused.

Independent

Amnesty has been refused access to Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and to Guantánamo Bay.

The Guardian

Even so, the company's eel has been refused entry into the United States on multiple occasions.

The New York Times

She said: "It's deeply disappointing that Navitus Bay has been refused consent.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "has been refused", clearly state the reason for the refusal to provide context and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "was refused" when the refusal has ongoing implications; "has been refused" indicates the continued state of denial is relevant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been refused" functions as a passive construction, indicating that someone or something has experienced the action of being denied. Ludwig AI confirms this through numerous examples where the phrase is used to describe the denial of requests, permissions, or applications.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

97%

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been refused" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that a request, application, or permission has been denied. Ludwig AI supports this, offering numerous real-world examples from authoritative sources, primarily in news and media. While versatile, it's important to provide context and be mindful of tense to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "has been denied" or "was rejected" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. When incorporating into text, be sure to specify the reason of refusal for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been denied

Present perfect tense indicating a denial that continues to have relevance.

has not been permitted

Emphasizes the lack of allowance or authorization.

was denied

Simple past tense indicating a denial.

was rejected

Indicates a more formal or decisive denial.

had their request denied

Focuses on the request being the object of the denial.

was not granted

Focuses on the lack of permission being given.

was turned down

Informal way of saying something was rejected.

did not receive approval

Emphasizes the absence of authorization.

met with a refusal

More formal and indirect way of stating a rejection.

failed to be approved

Highlights the lack of a successful approval process.

FAQs

How to use "has been refused" in a sentence?

The phrase "has been refused" indicates that a request, application, or permission has been denied. For example, "His visa "has been refused" due to incomplete documentation."

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

You can use alternatives like "has been denied", "was rejected", or "was not granted" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "has been refused" or "was refused"?

"Has been refused" is used when the refusal has ongoing relevance, while "was refused" is used for a refusal in the past with no present implications. For example, "His entry "was refused" last year" versus "His entry "has been refused", preventing him from attending the conference."

What's the difference between "has been refused" and "has been rejected"?

While both indicate a denial, ""has been refused"" often applies to requests or permissions, whereas "has been rejected" can apply to proposals, ideas, or items. The practical difference is negligible, depending on the subject being turned down.