held an appointment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "held an appointment" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone who has a formal position or role, often in a professional or official context. Example: "She held an appointment as the chief financial officer for over five years."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

He held an appointment at University College (1964 65) and then joined the faculty of Trinity College in 1966.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He held an appointment at Princeton (1980 87) before moving to the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, in 1987.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Hironaka held an appointment at Columbia University, New York City, from 1964 to 1968, when he began teaching at Harvard.

Britannica

Mori attended Kyōto University (B.A., 1973; M.A., 1975; Ph.D., 1978) and held an appointment there until 1980, when he went to Nagoya University.

Britannica

He also held an appointment as visiting lecturer with rank of professor in the Department of History at Princeton from 1975 to 2000.

Princeton University

He received his DPhil in oriental studies in 2003 from the University of Oxford, where he also held an appointment as tutorial fellow in modern Chinese history.

Stanford University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

I also hold an appointment as Professor of the Graduate School.

University of California, Berkeley

He also holds an appointment as Visiting Professor at University College London.

Yale University

In addition, Professor Engle holds an appointment at the Stern School of Business at N.Y.U.

The New York Times

He serves as a directeur d'études at EHESS where he holds an appointment as professor.

Columbia University

Registration in Summer Session classes is not required to hold an appointment.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "held an appointment" to clearly and formally indicate that someone occupied a specific position, especially in academic, professional, or official contexts. It often implies a formal recognition or selection process.

Common error

Avoid using "held an appointment" in informal contexts. Opt for simpler phrases like "had a job" or "worked as" when describing casual or temporary roles.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held an appointment" functions as a verbal phrase indicating that someone formally occupied a particular position or role in the past. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness of the phrase, showcasing examples from academic, news, and encyclopedia sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

32%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Science

8%

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "held an appointment" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that indicates a person formerly occupied a formal position or role. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms this, supported by examples from academic, news, and encyclopedia sources. The phrase is most common in formal and professional contexts, such as academia and journalism. When writing, remember to consider the formality of the setting and choose simpler alternatives if necessary. Being mindful of formality helps prevent using a phrase like "held an appointment" in an environment that does not call for it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

served in a position

Focuses on the act of serving rather than the formal holding of a role.

occupied a post

Replaces "appointment" with "post", implying a more specific designation.

had a role

Uses simpler language to convey the existence of a responsibility.

was employed as

Highlights the employment aspect of the position.

maintained a position

Emphasizes the continuity of holding the role over time.

officiated as

Implies a formal or official capacity in the role.

acted as

Focuses on the actions performed within the role.

functioned as

Similar to "acted as", but suggests a specific function or purpose.

was assigned to

Suggests that the role was given or allocated to the person.

undertook the duties of

Highlights the responsibilities and tasks associated with the role.

FAQs

How can I use "held an appointment" in a sentence?

Use "held an appointment" to indicate that someone formally occupied a position, such as "She held an appointment as professor at the university."

What's a more casual way to say "held an appointment"?

For informal situations, you could say someone "had a job as", "worked as", or "was employed as" instead of using "held an appointment".

Is it better to say "held an appointment" or "holds an appointment"?

Use "held an appointment" when referring to a past position. Use "holds an appointment" when referring to a current one.

What's the difference between "held an appointment" and "served in a position"?

"Held an appointment" emphasizes the formal nature of the position. "Served in a position" focuses more on the actions and duties performed while "in that role".