have been faced

USAGE SUMMARY

"have been faced" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is the present perfect tense of "to face," meaning to confront or deal with something. You can use it when describing a past event or situation that has recently been resolved or is still ongoing. Example: The company has been faced with numerous challenges over the past year, but they have managed to overcome them and achieve record profits. (describing a past event that is now resolved) Example: The government has been faced with a difficult decision regarding taxation policies, and they are still in the process of finding a solution. (describing an ongoing situation).

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But in recent years, the regions have been faced with some intractable problems.

The New York Times

We Jews have been faced with that kind of biased reference for centuries.

The New York Times

His answer is that they do, but they have been faced with an unusual problem.

The New York Times - Science

Recently, though, Indonesia's peatlands have been faced with growing threats from human activity, mainly agriculture.

The Washington Post

American growers have been faced with a spate of bad news.

The New York Times

A: I think all of us have been faced with this dilemma at one point.

The Washington Post

What distinguishes Plymouth's integration journey are the barriers that have been faced and overcome.

The Guardian

They felt they might have been faced with the same treatment, and it was really shocking".

The New York Times

The climbers may have been faced with freak weather conditions but that shouldn't have taken them by surprise.

Independent

Whenever they have been faced with regulatory obstacles in the past, they have evolved to get around them.

The Economist

Composers therefore have been faced with the task of filling the gaps in most Shakespeare-based librettos.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been faced" to indicate that a situation has occurred and continues to have relevance or impact in the present. For example, "The company has been faced with declining sales for the past quarter."

Common error

Avoid using "have been faced" with a singular subject. The correct form for a singular subject is "has been faced". For example, use "The organization has been faced with budget cuts" instead of "The organization have been faced with budget cuts".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been faced" functions as a verb phrase indicating a state of having encountered or experienced something. As Ludwig AI states, it is the present perfect tense of “to face”. Examples demonstrate its use in reporting challenges or situations someone has encountered.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

32%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been faced" is a grammatically correct and widely used verb phrase for indicating that someone or something has encountered a challenge or situation. As Ludwig AI clarifies, it is the present perfect tense of “to face”. It is commonly found in news, scientific and academic writing. To ensure accuracy, pay attention to subject-verb agreement and consider alternative phrases such as "have encountered" or "have dealt with" for nuanced meanings. Avoid using "have been faced by" for conciseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have encountered

Replaces "faced" with a more general term for experiencing something, often a challenge.

have confronted

Emphasizes a direct and often intentional engagement with a problem.

have dealt with

Focuses on the handling or management of a situation or problem.

have experienced

Highlights the subjective feeling of going through a particular situation.

have undergone

Suggests a process or transformation caused by the situation.

have struggled with

Highlights the difficulty and effort involved in dealing with a problem.

have grappled with

Implies a more intense and intellectual engagement with a problem.

have been challenged by

Shifts the focus to the source of the difficulty, framing it as a challenge.

have been up against

Suggests a competitive or adversarial situation.

have had to contend with

Emphasizes the obligation to deal with a problem, often against one's will.

FAQs

How can I use "have been faced" in a sentence?

Use "have been faced" to indicate that someone or something has encountered a challenge or situation. For example, "The team "have been faced" with several obstacles during the project".

What's the difference between "have been faced" and "have faced"?

"Have been faced" implies an ongoing relevance or impact from the situation, whereas "have faced" simply indicates a past event. For example, "They "have been faced" with criticism" suggests the criticism continues, while "They "have faced" criticism" only refers to a past event.

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

You can use alternatives like "have encountered", "have confronted", or "have dealt with" depending on the context.

Is "have been faced by" grammatically correct?

While grammatically correct, ""have been faced"" is often preferred over "have been faced by" for conciseness and clarity. Both can be used, but the former is more common in contemporary writing.