he was booked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was booked" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone has been taken into police custody. For example, "The suspect was booked for shoplifting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was booked, held and released.

The New York Times - Sports

After that, he was booked until October.

The New Yorker

He was booked to play in other countries.

The New York Times

He was booked into the Gage County jail.

The New Yorker

He was booked on felony charges and released.

The New York Times

I think he was booked for the next patient along".

The Guardian - Opinion

"But he was booked a while ago and he won't be pulling out".

Independent

His daughter recalls that he was booked into the Savoy on that first trip.

Independent

But De Deyn said that he was booked for the rest of the day.

The New Yorker

He was booked that night at a local county jail that proudly bears his name.

The New York Times

"He was booked for celebrating too enthusiastically from the subs bench," Steven Gray informs us.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about legal matters, using "he was booked" is a concise way to indicate that someone has been officially processed into the jail system after an arrest. Ensure the context makes it clear that you are referring to this specific legal procedure.

Common error

Avoid using "he was booked" when you mean "scheduled" or "reserved" in non-legal contexts. For events or appointments, use "scheduled" or "reserved" to prevent misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was booked" primarily functions as a passive construction indicating that a person has undergone the booking procedure after an arrest. This is based on Ludwig AI, which confirms its standard grammatical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he was booked" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression, primarily in news and media contexts, to indicate that someone has been formally processed into the jail system following an arrest. Ludwig AI confirms the validity of this expression. While primarily neutral in tone, it’s important to differentiate its usage from non-legal contexts where "booked" might mean "scheduled". Alternatives such as "arrested", "taken into custody", or "charged" offer different shades of meaning depending on the intended emphasis. Knowing these nuances enables precise communication, particularly in legal and factual reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he was arrested

This alternative directly replaces "booked" with "arrested", focusing on the act of law enforcement taking someone into custody.

he was taken into custody

This phrase emphasizes the action of being taken into police control, providing a slightly more formal tone.

he was charged

This alternative focuses on the formal accusation of a crime, shifting the emphasis from the immediate act of detention.

he was apprehended

This emphasizes the act of catching someone, often used in more formal or legal contexts.

he was detained

This suggests a temporary holding, often for questioning or investigation, and can be less accusatory than "arrested".

he was scheduled

This refers to setting an event or appointment, similar to being "booked" for a performance or appearance.

he was slated

This is a more informal synonym for scheduled and fits to performance or appearance.

he had a reservation

This refers to booking a place for example in a restaurant.

he was down to play

This is a casual phrase, mainly used to express engagement as a player.

he was condemned

This express a strong disapproval for an act.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "he was booked"?

In legal terms, "he was booked" means that after being arrested, an individual was formally processed into the jail system, including recording their personal information and the charges against them.

Is "he was booked" the same as "he was arrested"?

While closely related, they aren't exactly the same. Arrest is the act of taking someone into custody. Booking is the administrative process that follows the arrest.

What can I say instead of "he was booked" to describe being scheduled for an event?

For events, you can use alternatives like "he was scheduled", "he was reserved", or "he was slated" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "he was booked" and "he was charged"?

"He was booked" refers to the process of officially recording an arrest. "He was charged" means that formal accusations of specific crimes have been filed against him.