has best been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has best been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the optimal or most effective way something has been done or achieved in the past. Example: "This method has best been demonstrated in various studies over the years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Oleg Tverdovsky's N.H.L. career has best been described as quiet.

The New York Times - Sports

The dichotomy has best been seen in one famous victory and 19 painful defeats.

The Guardian - Sport

Until now, Mr Yosano has best been known as a genial old chap with a twinkling sense of humour or even of wry detachment.

The Economist

Curiously, the story of the subsequent race for the South Pole has best been told in a book that has not been recently republished.

The New York Times - Books

The lonely but enduring Lenny has best been able to surmount the awful trauma of their childhood, mostly just by keeping busy.

The New York Times

In the soul of America, the why to live has best been imagined as a dream.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Hurricane Florence, for example, would have best been classified as a "Wind Category 1" hurricane.

Yale University

I think it had best be stopped.

The New Yorker

"So clubs had best be targeting spouses and family members.

The New York Times - Sports

The new manager had best be a patient man — there are lean times ahead.

The New York Times - Sports

McIlroy had best be careful: he would not want to be called too nice.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has best been" when you want to indicate the most effective or suitable way something has been done or understood in the past. This emphasizes a sense of culmination or optimal outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "has best been" in contexts where a simple past tense or present perfect tense would suffice. Overusing this phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or convoluted; ensure the context genuinely benefits from emphasizing the optimal nature of a past action or understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has best been" functions as part of the present perfect passive voice. It's used to describe an action that was completed at an unspecified time in the past, emphasizing that it was done in the most effective or optimal manner. Ludwig AI supports the correct grammatical function of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has best been" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the most effective or optimal way something has been done or understood. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides examples from various sources. It is most frequently found in scientific and news media contexts and carries a formal tone. While accurate and usable, it's crucial to ensure its use is appropriate to the context, avoiding overuse that could make your writing seem unnecessarily complex.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has most effectively been

Replaces "best" with "most effectively", emphasizing efficiency in the action.

has optimally been

Substitutes "best" with "optimally", highlighting the idea of the most favorable outcome.

has ideally been

Replaces "best" with "ideally", focusing on perfection in the action.

has successfully been

Emphasizes a positive outcome or accomplishment.

has effectively been

Highlights the successful execution of an action or strategy.

has appropriately been

Focuses on the suitability or correctness of an action in a given context.

is best characterized as

Shifts the structure to focus on characterization rather than direct action.

is most accurately described as

Offers a different framing while still conveying the idea of precise description.

is widely considered to be

Shifts from the past perfect to present, focusing on current widespread opinions.

has historically been

Focuses on how something has been over a period of time.

FAQs

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

Use "has best been" to describe something that has been done or understood in the most effective or optimal way. For example: "The therapeutic potential of AAV-mediated gene delivery to the retina "has best been" illustrated by the positive results from three phase I clinical trials".

What are some alternatives to "has best been"?

Alternatives include "has most effectively been", "has optimally been", or "is best characterized as", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "has best been" formal or informal?

"Has best been" tends to be more formal and is often found in academic, scientific, or professional writing. Consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing when deciding whether to use this phrase.

Which is correct, "has best been" or "is best been"?

"Has best been" is the correct form. "Is best been" is grammatically incorrect because "been" requires a "have" auxiliary verb to form the present perfect passive voice.