have been incurring

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been incurring" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe the ongoing process of accumulating costs, debts, or liabilities over a period of time. Example: "Over the past few months, we have been incurring significant expenses due to unexpected repairs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The civil complaint, filed in Federal District Court here, said that Mr. Byrd knew the company should have been incurring compensation expenses for certain option grants to workers but failed to incorporate those charges into the financial reports released to investors.

The New York Times

"We in the United States have been incurring ever larger trade deficits," Greenspan recently intoned, "with the broader current account measure having reached 5% of GDP.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

How many penalty strokes have been incurred by the players?

The New York Times

Delivery costs will have been incurred, but the merchant will presumably not have lost sales elsewhere.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The bad debts have been incurred predominantly through lending to businesses.

The Economist

The investment does not include the cost of housing and food, because they would have been incurred in any case.

The New York Times

Mr Frank calls these "avoided capacity costs"—costs that would not have been incurred had the green-energy plants not been built.

The Economist

The National Climatic Data Center says it estimates the costs in terms of dollars and lives that would not have been incurred had the event not taken place.

The New York Times

But his reported debts exceeded $268 million as of last March, an amount that has probably risen as interest charges have been incurred since then.

The New York Times

Formerly, very few women possessed of any self-respect would be seen entering a public-house; the shame which would have been incurred greatly screened them from temptation.

The Guardian

Second, the court may make an order that a party pay costs that have been incurred as a result of an unnecessary or improper act or omission.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been incurring" to specifically emphasize the ongoing nature of accumulating expenses, debts, or losses over a period of time, especially when the duration or continuous process is relevant to the context.

Common error

Avoid using "have been incurring" when referring to a single, completed instance of incurring a cost or debt. Instead, use "incurred" to describe a past action that is now finished.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been incurring" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect continuous tense. It indicates an action that started in the past and is still ongoing or has recently stopped. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been incurring" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, primarily functioning as a verb phrase in the present perfect continuous tense. Ludwig AI confirms that it describes an action that began in the past and continues into the present. Its purpose is to indicate the ongoing accumulation of something, often negative, like costs or debts. While it is more common in neutral to professional contexts such as news and science, writers should avoid using it for single, completed actions. Alternatives such as ""have been accumulating"" or "have been facing" may be suitable depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been accumulating

Focuses on the gradual increase or gathering of something over time.

have been accumulating debts

Specifically highlights the increase of debts over a period.

have been running up

Implies an increase, often in a financial context, suggesting a build-up of debt or expenses.

have been experiencing

Focuses on the subjective feeling or effect of undergoing something, such as costs or losses.

have been subjected to

Highlights the passive reception of an unwanted event or circumstance.

have been facing

Emphasizes the confrontation with ongoing difficulties or challenges.

have been contending with

Suggests a struggle or competition with persistent problems.

have been liable for

Highlights legal or financial responsibility for something.

have been gathering

Emphasizes the gradual collection or amassing of something over time.

have been burdened with

Highlights the weight or difficulty imposed by something negative.

FAQs

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

Use "have been incurring" to describe a continuous accumulation of costs, debts, or liabilities over a period. For example, "The company "has been incurring" significant losses due to the economic downturn".

What's a good alternative to "have been incurring"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "have been accumulating", "have been running up", or "have been experiencing".

Is it correct to say "have been incurred" instead of "have been incurring"?

The phrase "have been incurred" indicates a completed action (past participle), while "have been incurring" indicates a continuous action (present participle). Use "have been incurred" when the action is finished and "have been incurring" when it is ongoing.

What is the difference between "have incurred" and "have been incurring"?

"Have incurred" suggests a completed action in the past with relevance to the present, while "have been incurring" emphasizes the ongoing nature of accumulating something over time. For example, "We "have incurred" a debt" (completed action), versus "We "have been incurring" debt for months" (ongoing process).