held by them

USAGE SUMMARY

"held by them" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to something that is owned, controlled, or maintained by a group of people. Example: "The rights to the property are held by them." Alternative expressions include "owned by them" and "possessed by them."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

He was held by them, fixed.

The New Yorker

Even if I got killed, it was better than being held by them".

Independent

On October 1, 2013, Kassig was captured by Syrian militants, and he has been held by them since.

The New Yorker

Captured by the English twice in 1346 and in 1417 it was held by them until 1450.

Encyclopedia Britannica

You have girls flying in the air, others going up on shoulder stands, other girls being held by them.

The New York Times - Magazine

The role of women has been changed fundamentally: 27% of seats in the lower house of Parliament are held by them.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Larvae were held by trapping them between a slide and a coverslip in natural seawater using several layers of tape as spacer.

eLife

Advanta, a relatively small credit card issuer, recently canceled 1 million credit cards, many of them held by small businesses that used them for day-to-day financing since banks have retreated from small-business loans.

Forbes

Each face-to-face interview was conducted by one of the researchers (CM, LZ), while focus groups were held by both of them collaboratively.

BMC Medical Education

Around 650 of them are captive, most of them held by temple collectives, known as devaswoms, or by private owners.

The New York Times

All seven of those districts were held by Republicans; five of them still are.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal reporting or legal contexts, ensure the pronoun "them" clearly refers to a previously defined plural noun to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Writers sometimes use "held by them" when they actually mean "held for them". The former implies they are the ones doing the holding, while the latter implies someone else is holding something on their behalf.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held by them" serves as a passive construction where the verb "held" (the past participle of "hold") is followed by the agentive prepositional phrase "by them". In Ludwig, this structure is used to shift the focus from the act of holding to the object or person being held.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "held by them" is a versatile and grammatically correct English phrase used to denote possession, physical control, or the harboring of beliefs. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is most frequent in News & Media and Encyclopedias, appearing in esteemed publications such as The New Yorker and The Economist. It effectively describes everything from military forts and political seats to scientific misconceptions and hostages. While the phrase is neutral, it is often utilized in formal writing to maintain a passive focus on the subject. Writers should ensure that "them" has a clear antecedent and consider more specific alternatives like "owned by them" or "controlled by them" when a more precise legal or authoritative tone is desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

possessed by them

Suggests a stronger sense of ownership or being under their influence

owned by them

Specifically refers to legal property or assets

controlled by them

Emphasizes the power or authority they exert over the object

retained by them

Implies keeping possession of something previously acquired

occupied by them

Used primarily for physical locations or territories

maintained by them

Suggests active care or preservation of a state or object

carried by them

More specific to physical transportation or bearing an item

gripped by them

A visceral and physical description of holding tightly

cherished by them

Focuses on the emotional value of the thing being held

preserved by them

Emphasizes the act of keeping something from loss or decay

FAQs

What can I say instead of "held by them"?

Depending on your specific meaning, you can use alternatives like "owned by them" for property, "possessed by them" for power, or "controlled by them" for authority.

Is "held by them" used for people?

Yes, in narrative and news contexts, "held by them" often refers to prisoners or hostages, as seen in examples from the Independent and BBC where individuals were "held captive".

Can "held by them" refer to abstract ideas?

Certainly. Scientific and philosophical texts often use it to describe beliefs or "conceptions held by them", referring to the mental states of a specific group.

What is the difference between "held by them" and "held to them"?

The phrase "held by them" indicates possession or agency, whereas "held to them" is rarely used and typically incorrect unless part of a larger construction like "held to them as a standard".