it upheld

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it upheld" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a decision or ruling that maintains or supports a previous judgment or principle. Example: "The court ruled that the law was constitutional, and it upheld the previous decision made by the lower court."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Supreme Court can't get enough reminders that, to its shame, it upheld that order, in the Korematsu decision.

The New Yorker

I believe strongly that the death penalty is morally wrong, and our editorial board has argued that the Supreme Court was wrong when it upheld its constitutionality.

The New York Times

The Court reversed its own position, taken as recently as 2003 when it upheld a ban on "soft money".

Huffington Post

It upheld the complaint.

Independent

It upheld his other convictions.

The New York Times - Sports

It upheld both complaints.

The Guardian

It upheld the conviction.

The Guardian - Opinion

So it upheld the complaint.

The Guardian

It upheld the five-year jail sentence imposed last March.

The Economist

It upheld the damages but amended the order for publication.

The Guardian

But it upheld a law that allowed them to prohibit such content.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it upheld", ensure that the subject "it" clearly refers to a specific entity (e.g. a court, a committee) that has the authority to validate or confirm a previous decision.

Common error

Avoid using "it upheld" when the entity doing the upholding is unclear or ambiguous. Always provide context to ensure the reader understands which entity is affirming the decision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it upheld" functions as a verb phrase where "it" is a pronoun referring to an entity (court, committee, etc.) and "upheld" is the past tense of the verb "uphold", meaning to support or maintain. Ludwig AI examples confirm this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Science

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it upheld" is a commonly used phrase to indicate that an entity has supported or maintained a previous decision or principle. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently appears in news, academic, and formal writing. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the entity doing the upholding. Consider alternatives like "it validated" or "it sustained" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it validated

Replaces 'upheld' with 'validated', focusing on confirming the legitimacy or correctness.

it sustained

Uses 'sustained' to indicate the continuation and support of a previous ruling.

it confirmed

Employs 'confirmed' to emphasize the verification and affirmation of a prior decision.

it ratified

Substitutes 'upheld' with 'ratified', suggesting formal approval or endorsement.

it backed

Replaces 'upheld' with 'backed', indicating support and agreement with a decision.

it supported

Uses 'supported' to convey the act of giving assistance or approval to a previous decision.

it vindicated

Employs 'vindicated' to suggest clearing from blame or suspicion by upholding a decision.

it defended

Replaces 'upheld' with 'defended', indicating protection and justification of a previous ruling.

it stood by

Uses 'stood by' to express unwavering support for a previous decision or principle.

it championed

Substitutes 'upheld' with 'championed', suggesting enthusiastic support and promotion of a decision.

FAQs

How can I use "it upheld" in a sentence?

You can use "it upheld" to indicate that a court, committee, or other authority has supported or affirmed a previous decision. For example, "The Supreme Court reviewed the case and "it upheld" the lower court's ruling."

What's the difference between "it upheld" and "it overturned"?

"It upheld" means that a previous decision was supported and maintained, while "it overturned" means that a previous decision was reversed or rejected. They are opposite in meaning.

What are some alternatives to saying "it upheld"?

You can use alternatives like "it validated", "it sustained", or "it confirmed" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "it upheld" formal or informal language?

"It upheld" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it is more common in legal, political, and journalistic writing.