has previously approved

USAGE SUMMARY

'has previously approved' is a valid and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used when you want to emphasize a certain action was taken in the past and was already done before this current context. For example, "The board has previously approved the changes to the company's policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The House has previously approved repealing the ban by a 40-vote margin.

The New York Times

"Extending borrowing authority does not increase spending; it simply allows the Treasury to pay for expenditures Congress has previously approved," he wrote.

The Guardian - Business

The court should view these law enforcement stops as an overly aggressive leap from the sobriety checkpoints it has previously approved to remove an immediate safety hazard.

The New York Times

It is important to point out that extending borrowing authority does not increase government spending; it simply allows the Treasury to pay for expenditures Congress has previously approved.

The New York Times

The FDA has previously approved a synthetic cannabis medicine, but Epidiolex is different; it is manufactured from plant matter, a chemical compound in the cannabis plant called cannabidiol, or CBD.

The Washington Post

In a testament to North Korea's erratic visa process – which has previously approved celebrities from American rapper Pras from the Fugees to feminist activist Gloria Steinem – the BBC team has been joined by three Nobel laureates and Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

European regulators had previously approved the acquisition.

The New York Times

The commission had previously approved 17 other cell phone towers and a 275-foot tower for an emergency communications system.

The New York Times

Turkey had previously approved operations into Iraq and Syria to attack Kurdish separatists or to thwart threats from the Syrian regime.

Independent

The court had previously approved of "privacy" rights for both married and unmarried heterosexuals and for pregnant women.

The New York Times - Books

Mr. Kennedy noted that although the city's redevelopment authority had previously approved two other developers to work on these projects, neither had come up with suitable plans.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has previously approved" to clearly indicate that an action or decision was authorized at an earlier time, providing context for current events or discussions.

Common error

Do not use "has previously approved" when the context already clearly implies a prior approval. For example, avoid saying "The board has previously approved the already implemented changes"; instead, state "The board approved the changes".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has previously approved" functions as a verb phrase indicating a completed action in the past that has relevance to the present. As Ludwig AI highlights, this construction is commonly used to denote prior authorization or endorsement.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has previously approved" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used to emphasize that an action or decision received authorization at an earlier point in time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to provide context and establish precedence across various reliable sources such as news outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian, scientific publications, and formal business documents. While suitable for formal contexts, it can also be applied in less formal settings, but it is important to avoid redundancy by ensuring the context doesn't already imply prior approval.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had approved before

Uses "had" instead of "has" to indicate a past perfect tense and emphasizes the action's completion before another point in the past.

approved in the past

Replaces "previously approved" with a more general indication of past approval.

given prior approval to

Replaces "approved" with "given prior approval to" to emphasize the act of granting approval.

already authorized

Replaces "approved" with "authorized" and uses "already" to indicate that the action happened before.

had sanctioned earlier

Substitutes "approved" with "sanctioned", suggesting a more formal or official type of approval; uses "earlier" to show previous time.

previously endorsed

Replaces "approved" with "endorsed", indicating support or recommendation in addition to approval.

formally agreed to in the past

Emphasizes the formal nature of the agreement and its occurrence in the past.

cleared beforehand

Uses "cleared" as a synonym for approved and "beforehand" to indicate the timing of the approval.

vetted and ratified

Implies a thorough review process ("vetted") followed by formal approval ("ratified").

greenlit previously

Uses "greenlit" as an informal synonym for approved, often used in business or creative contexts. "Previously" remains, ensuring a past context.

FAQs

How can I use "has previously approved" in a sentence?

You can use "has previously approved" to indicate that someone or some entity has already given their consent or authorization for something. For example, "The committee "has previously approved" the budget for the next fiscal year".

What are some alternatives to saying "has previously approved"?

Alternatives include "approved in the past", "already authorized", or "given prior approval to", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "had previously approved" instead of "has previously approved"?

Both are correct, but they indicate different timeframes. "Has previously approved" implies the approval is still relevant or has ongoing effects, while "had previously approved" refers to an approval that occurred and concluded before another point in the past.

What's the difference between "has previously approved" and "has approved"?

"Has approved" simply states that an approval has been given. "Has previously approved" emphasizes that the approval occurred at an earlier time, adding context about the timing of the decision.