Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
has been retrieved
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
'has been retrieved' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has recently been obtained or accessed. For example: "The data requested from the server has been retrieved."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Science
Encyclopedias
Alternative expressions(20)
has been recovered
has been obtained
has been accessed
was recovered
has been regained
has been extracted
has been acquired
has been brought back
has been reclaimed
has been unearthed
has been secured
is already finalized
has been transported
will be considered
has been honored
will present
is on track to be finalized
had been completed
has now ended
has successfully preserved
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
60 human-written examples
Some of the inventory and records were confiscated in Europe, although much has been retrieved over the years.
News & Media
DNA has been retrieved once before from a brown bear track, but the results have yet to be published.
News & Media
To date, only a small fraction of the stored video has been retrieved for such intelligence purposes.
News & Media
Those with a dial-up modem can use autodial, "so you can go to sleep, and when you wake up all your mail has been retrieved," he said.
News & Media
Much has been retrieved -- more than 1,300 feet of film have been added since the last rerelease, in 1987 -- and the English titles have been translated anew.
News & Media
From graves at Al-Badārī, Dayr Tasa, and Al-Mustaqiddah evidence of a relatively rich and developed artistic and industrial culture has been retrieved.
Encyclopedias
Gray, whose body has been retrieved from the East River in New York two months after he disappeared from his Manhattan apartment, was a prism of extreme behaviour in the world around him.
News & Media
It is clear that a lot of sensitive documents were indeed destroyed, but a first look at what has been retrieved suggests a whole range of scandals could be uncovered.
News & Media
And the historic aspect of Friday's performance was that — with perfect timing for Benjamin Britten's current centenary — his original 1941 orchestration for "Les Sylphides," commissioned by this company but gradually adulterated over subsequent decades, has been retrieved from the archives.
News & Media
The true position has been retrieved manually.
In this table, the true position has been retrieved manually.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use "has been retrieved" when you want to emphasize that something was not readily available and required effort or a specific action to obtain. For instance, "The missing file has been retrieved from the server."
Common error
Avoid using "has been retrieved" when the subject was always in possession. Use "has been kept" or "has been maintained" instead. For example, say "The document has been maintained in the archives" instead of "The document has been retrieved from the archives" if it was never lost.
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "has been retrieved" functions as a passive construction of the verb 'retrieve'. It indicates that the subject of the sentence has undergone the action of being retrieved by someone or something. This construction is common, as confirmed by Ludwig, in contexts where the focus is on the object that was obtained rather than the actor.
Frequent in
Science
39%
News & Media
36%
Encyclopedias
2%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Wiki
2%
Social Media
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "has been retrieved" is a grammatically sound and frequently used passive construction that signifies the successful recovery or acquisition of something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts. Predominantly found in scientific and news media sources, it maintains a neutral to professional tone. For alternative expressions, consider "has been recovered", "has been obtained", or "has been accessed" to add nuance to your writing. Remember to use this phrase when you want to emphasize the action of retrieving something that was previously inaccessible.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
has been recovered
This alternative emphasizes the process of getting something back, particularly after it was lost or stolen.
has been regained
This phrase highlights the act of getting something back, often referring to a position or status.
has been obtained
This suggests a more formal or deliberate process of acquiring something.
has been accessed
This emphasizes the act of gaining entry or the ability to use something.
has been extracted
This implies that something was taken out from a larger source or container.
has been acquired
This indicates a formal process of gaining possession of something.
has been brought back
This emphasizes the return of something to its original place or condition.
has been reclaimed
This suggests a return to a previous state of ownership or condition.
has been unearthed
This implies discovering something previously hidden or unknown.
has been secured
This alternative emphasizes the process of safely obtaining or protecting something.
FAQs
How can I use "has been retrieved" in a sentence?
Use "has been retrieved" to indicate that something was located or accessed after a period of searching or being unavailable. For example, "The data from the damaged hard drive "has been retrieved" successfully."
What are some alternatives to "has been retrieved"?
You can use alternatives like "has been recovered", "has been obtained", or "has been accessed" depending on the specific context.
Is it correct to say "was retrieved" instead of "has been retrieved"?
Yes, "was retrieved" is grammatically correct. However, ""has been retrieved"" implies that the action of retrieving has been completed recently and the results are still relevant, while "was retrieved" simply indicates a past action.
What is the difference between "has been retrieved" and "was recovered"?
While both phrases imply regaining something, ""has been retrieved"" is a more general term for obtaining something, whereas "was recovered" often suggests regaining something that was lost or stolen.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested