i tracked him down to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I tracked him down to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that you have located someone after searching for them. Example: "After weeks of searching, I finally tracked him down to a small café in the city."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

I tracked him down to somewhere in the outskirts of Toronto to have a really serious discussion about the dichotomy of good and evil, the future of the emoji and The Office.

Vice

I tracked him down to see what he remembered.

The New York Times

My brother and I tracked him down to an ambulance.

The Guardian

Eventually I tracked him down to the bank, sitting in the manager's office.

The Guardian

Teitelbaum, the guy on camera, doesn't seem to have ascended to megastardom either, but I tracked him down to see what effect it had on his career, and just to find out what sneaking into the Oscars was like.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

There's been a massive stink about him, on account of various antisemitic, anti-homosexual remarks he's said to have made, although when I track him down to a secret lunchtime meeting, he smiles benignly, says he loves the BBC and that he must dash because he's off to the Friends of Israel lunch.

The Guardian

After a short search, I tracked him down at his home in Verona, Wisconsin, to find out what had happened to what many consider to be the greatest outdoor-clothing brand of all time. .

Vice

I tracked him down.

BBC

"When I heard he had been retired after starting to get scared, I knew I had to track him down to help him.

BBC

I fantasised about tracking him down to confront him with what his stupidity had wrought.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Still confused, I managed to track him down to his latest film Allies, a British movie about World War 2, for a chinwag.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase to indicate a determined effort to find someone, often after some difficulty or investigation. It adds a narrative element to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "i tracked him down to" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "i located him at" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "i tracked him down to" functions as part of a clause within a narrative, typically used to describe the successful culmination of a search or investigation. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in journalistic contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "i tracked him down to" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe finding someone after a search, according to Ludwig. It's most frequently used in news and media contexts, maintaining a neutral to slightly informal tone. While generally acceptable, it should be used with caution in highly formal or academic writing, where alternatives like "i located him at" might be more appropriate. Ludwig's analysis confirms its widespread use and acceptability in various writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

i traced him to

Similar to 'tracked', but slightly less intense in its connotation of pursuit.

i located him at

Uses 'located' instead of 'tracked down', implying a more direct finding.

i managed to find him in

Emphasizes the effort involved in finding the person.

i found him at

Simplifies the phrase to a basic statement of discovery.

i succeeded in finding him at

Highlights the success of the search.

i discovered his whereabouts in

More formal and emphasizes the discovery of the person's location.

i hunted him down to

Adds a stronger sense of purpose and determination in the search.

i pinpointed his location at

Highlights precision in finding the exact spot.

i ran him to ground in

Idiomatic expression suggesting a forceful or relentless search.

i caught up with him in

Implies the person was moving or trying to avoid being found.

FAQs

What does it mean to say "I tracked him down to"?

It means you found someone after a period of searching or investigation. It implies some effort was required to locate the person.

What can I say instead of "I tracked him down to"?

You can use alternatives like "i located him at", "i found him at", or "i traced him to" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "I tracked him down to" formal or informal?

The phrase is generally considered neutral to slightly informal. While acceptable in many contexts, more formal situations might call for alternatives like "i located him at".

How can I use "I tracked him down to" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a situation where you actively searched for someone and eventually found them. For example, "After weeks of searching, I tracked him down to a small cafe in the city."