have been lost

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "have been lost" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when referring to something that has been misplaced, forgotten, or destroyed. For example: "All of my notes from the meeting have been lost."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Papers have been lost.

Independent

Lives have been lost.

The New York Times

Vehicles have been lost.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

As many as six have been lost.

The Economist

But further provenance clues have been lost.

The New York Times - Arts

All medical records have been lost.

The New Yorker

That seems to have been lost".

The New York Times - Sports

Even his bones have been lost.

The New Yorker

Vital tourism revenues have been lost.

Independent

What might have been lost.

The New York Times - Arts

His bags have been lost.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have been lost" to describe something that is no longer available or retrievable, whether physically, metaphorically, or conceptually. Ensure the context clearly indicates what has been lost and why it matters.

Common error

Avoid using "have been lost" when you mean "had been lost". "Have been lost" refers to something lost in the recent past or present, while "had been lost" refers to something lost in the more distant past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have been lost" functions as a passive perfect construction, indicating that a subject has undergone the action of being lost at some point in the past leading up to the present. Ludwig confirms that is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

36%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "have been lost" is a grammatically correct and versatile passive perfect construction used to indicate that something is currently missing due to a past action. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It's prevalent in various contexts, including News & Media and Science, making it suitable for both formal and informal settings. While there are several semantically related alternatives like "have been misplaced" or "are now missing", choosing the right one depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. Remember to pay attention to tense consistency and avoid using this phrase to describe the action of becoming lost, but rather the state of being lost.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been misplaced

Indicates something is temporarily not where it should be, implying a possibility of recovery.

have been forfeited

Suggests a loss due to a rule, error or penalty.

have been squandered

Focuses on the wasteful loss of resources or opportunities.

have been wasted

Highlights the unproductive use of something, often with regret.

have been forgotten

Indicates a loss from memory or neglect.

have disappeared

Suggests something vanished without a clear explanation.

have been stolen

Focuses on the illegal taking of something.

are now missing

Indicates a present state of being lost or absent.

have vanished

Similar to disappeared, but can imply a more sudden or mysterious disappearance.

have gone astray

Implies a deviation from the correct path or intended destination.

FAQs

How do I use "have been lost" in a sentence?

You can use "have been lost" to indicate that something is currently missing or has been irretrievably misplaced. For example, "The keys "have been lost", and I can't find them anywhere."

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

Alternatives include "have been misplaced", "are now missing", or "have disappeared", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "have been lost" or "had been lost"?

"Have been lost" indicates that something was lost recently or remains lost now. "Had been lost" indicates that something was lost in the past, relative to another past event. Choose the tense that accurately reflects the timeline.

What's the difference between "have been lost" and "have gotten lost"?

"Have been lost" generally describes the state of something missing. "Have gotten lost" typically describes the action of becoming lost, often referring to people or things that can move. Example: "The documents "have been lost"" vs. "The hikers "have gotten lost" in the woods".