have been acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been acquired" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you need to say that something has been obtained or achieved. For example, "These new skills have been acquired over the past year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

More than 1000 samples have been acquired since 1987.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

Some of Lehman's operations have been acquired by Barclays Capital.

The New York Times

Consequently, outstanding achievements have been acquired in ecological environmental protection.

Science Progress in China

Global Spanish rights have been acquired by Libros del Asteroide.

The Guardian - Books

Several of these from the first and second carnivals have been acquired by graphic arts.

Princeton University

In fact 76% of delta v teams are still operating or have been acquired.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RCS data have been acquired on 39 NASA-selected resident space objects (RSO).

Advances in Space Research

Both conventional logs and microresistivity imaging logs of the Cretaceous Quantou formation have been acquired.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

But only about 40,000 acres have been acquired or are under contract.

The New York Times

Since 1995, according to one tabulation, 39 New Zealand wineries have been acquired by Americans.

The New York Times - Food

The lead found in the men's bones could easily have been acquired at home.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "have been acquired", ensure the subject clearly indicates what has been obtained. For example, instead of "Results have been acquired", specify "Data for the study have been acquired".

Common error

Avoid overuse of the passive voice with "have been acquired" as it can make your writing vague. Instead of "Valuable experience has been acquired", consider "I have acquired valuable experience", which is more direct and engaging.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been acquired" functions as a passive voice construction in the present perfect tense. It indicates that a subject has received or gained something as a result of an action. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and used in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

51%

News & Media

36%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have been acquired" is a correct and very common English expression used to indicate that something has been obtained or achieved. As confirmed by Ludwig, it functions as a passive voice construction in the present perfect tense, conveying information about gains or accomplishments. Its primary contexts are in Science, News & Media, and Academia, suggesting a formal to neutral register. When writing, ensure clarity by specifying what has been acquired and avoid overuse of the passive voice. Related phrases include "were obtained", "were gained", and "were attained". The phrase demonstrates a versatile function across different domains. Ludwig's analysis supports these findings, confirming its correctness and widespread application.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were obtained

Focuses on the act of obtaining something, emphasizing the result.

were attained

Highlights the achievement aspect of gaining something, suggesting effort was involved.

were gained

Emphasizes the process of gaining something, often implying an increase or benefit.

have come into possession

Formal alternative focusing on the change of ownership or control.

have fallen into the hands of

Suggests a transfer of control or ownership, often with a hint of passivity.

have been secured

Emphasizes the effort put into obtaining something and making it safe or certain.

were procured

Formal and emphasizes the act of obtaining something, often through official channels.

have been secured

Highlights the achievement of obtaining something, suggesting it was not easily obtained.

have taken ownership of

Focuses specifically on the transfer of ownership.

were collected

Emphasizes the act of gathering or accumulating items or data.

FAQs

How to use "have been acquired" in a sentence?

Use "have been acquired" to indicate that something has been obtained or gained. For example, "New skills "have been acquired" during the training program".

What can I say instead of "have been acquired"?

You can use alternatives like "were obtained", "were gained", or "were attained" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "have been acquired" or "were acquired"?

The choice between "have been acquired" and "were acquired" depends on the context and tense. "Have been acquired" is present perfect tense, implying the action happened at an unspecified time in the past and is relevant to the present. "Were acquired" is simple past tense, indicating the action happened and finished in the past.

What's the difference between "have been acquired" and "have been obtained"?

While both indicate something has been gained, "have been acquired" often suggests a more deliberate or strategic effort, whereas "have been obtained" can imply a more passive reception or finding.