held for long

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "held for long" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has been maintained or kept in a particular state or condition for an extended period of time. Example: "The documents were held for long before being released to the public."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Many were held for long periods.

The Guardian

She was arrested as a result but not held for long.

Independent

Those arrested have been held for long periods without charges and with no due process.

The Washington Post

Once again boat people were to be held for long periods.

The Guardian

Editors adopted ever more complex rules to hold anonymous sourcing in check, but the rules never held for long.

The Guardian

Lindh was tied to a stretcher naked and later held for long periods in a large metal container.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

All of the kittens inoculated with FeLV-A alone became chronically viremic, and those held for long-term observation all developed either neoplastic disease or anemia.

Virology

For example, in Germany and Switzerland, where banks comprise a substantial part of the nation's shareholders, most shares are held for long-term appreciation and are rarely traded.

Harvard Business Review

For example, until 2003, companies will not have to record property at market prices if they hold it for investment rather than trading purposes a big bonus in a country that has seen sharp falls in land prices over the past decade.Likewise, companies do not have to value at market prices shares in affiliates and subsidiaries that are held for long-term investment purposes.

The Economist

Because of the advance of technology, storage becomes cheaper and cheaper year after year and when our ability to store data outpaces the expense of creating that data, we end up with things that are no longer held for short-term periods, they're held for long-term periods and then they're held for a longer term period.

The Guardian

Some parts of that land are being marketed for development, but other parts are just being held for long-term investment.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing legal or custodial situations, consider using "held for long" to convey extended detention or imprisonment. This is a straightforward way to communicate the duration of confinement.

Common error

Ensure the context clearly indicates what is being held and why the duration is significant. Without proper context, "held for long" can be vague and open to misinterpretation. Clarify the subject and reason to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held for long" functions as a verb phrase, often used to describe the duration of someone or something being kept in a particular state or condition. Ludwig examples show its use in describing detention periods, asset retention, and more.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "held for long" is a versatile expression used to indicate the duration that someone or something is maintained in a specific state or condition. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used, especially in news and media. While versatile, remember to provide sufficient context to ensure clarity. When describing legal or custodial situations, "held for long" effectively conveys extended detention or imprisonment. For alternatives, you can use phrases such as "detained for an extended period" or "kept in custody for a protracted time".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

held over an extended duration

Emphasizes the holding action that occurs over an extended duration.

kept in detention for a prolonged period

More specific to detention, emphasizing the prolonged nature.

detained for an extended period

Focuses specifically on the act of detaining someone and emphasizes the length of the detention.

kept in custody for a protracted time

Highlights being in custody and the length is emphasized with 'protracted'.

imprisoned for a considerable duration

Emphasizes imprisonment and the duration is described as 'considerable'.

confined for a considerable time frame

Specifically notes a 'time frame' that is considerable in length.

retained for an extensive period

Focuses on retention and uses 'extensive' to indicate length.

maintained for a lengthy interval

Highlights maintenance and 'lengthy interval' specifies duration.

confined for a long stretch

Emphasizes the confinement over a significant time.

kept for a substantial time

Indicates a significant amount of time something was kept.

FAQs

How can I use "held for long" in a sentence?

You can use "held for long" to describe a situation where someone or something is kept in a particular state or condition for an extended duration. For example: "The suspect was "detained for long" without charges."

What can I say instead of "held for long"?

Alternatives include phrases like "detained for an extended period", "kept in custody for a protracted time", or "imprisoned for a considerable duration", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "held for long" or "held for a long time"?

Both "held for long" and "held for a long time" are grammatically correct, but "held for long" is more concise. The choice depends on the desired level of formality and emphasis. Using "held for a long time" might sound more natural in some conversational contexts.

What's the difference between "held for long" and "detained for long"?

"Held for long" is a more general term, while ""detained for long"" specifically refers to keeping someone in official custody. You would use "detained" in legal or law enforcement contexts.