it was ceased

USAGE SUMMARY

"it was ceased" is an acceptable phrase in written English.
You could use it to describe an action that has been stopped or discontinued, such as "The music was ceased as soon as the announcement was made."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Then, vaulting over the deaths, the dictatorships, the Berlin Wall and the economic collapse of the Soviet Union, he said, "in a few short years, the world as it was ceased to be".

The New York Times

In four patients, it was ceased on the ward following discharge from the ICU.

Critical Care

Her thyroxine requirement decreased drastically following appropriate antimicrobial therapy for Whipple's disease to the extent that it was ceased.

BMC Endocrine Disorders

This was subsequently increased to 10 mg three times daily, but with no change in clinical signs it was ceased.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Penney's also said it was ceasing its quarterly dividend.

The New York Times

RH Transport announced it was ceasing its services on Thursday evening.

BBC

At the end of 2012, the company announced that it was ceasing its print publication and continuing with an all-digital format.

Huffington Post

BBC announced that to launch its Arabic TV service, it was ceasing radio services in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Kazakh, Polish, Slovak, Slovene, and Thai.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under its new Indian owners Tata, Jaguar Land Rover announced last year it was ceasing production of its X-Type saloon, or "baby Jaguar".

The Guardian - Business

Late last month, Solyndra announced that it was ceasing operations, laying off its 1,100 employees.

The New York Times

National Geographic announced on Thursday that it was ceasing regular publication of National Geographic Adventure, its 10-year-old magazine about travel and the outdoors published eight times a year.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "it was ceased" is technically correct, consider using more common and direct alternatives like "it was stopped" or "it was discontinued" for clearer communication.

Common error

Avoid using "it was ceased" when an active voice construction would be more concise and impactful. For example, instead of "The program was ceased", try "They ceased the program".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was ceased" functions as a passive construction, indicating that something was stopped or discontinued by an unspecified agent. Ludwig AI suggests that more common alternatives exist.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was ceased" is grammatically acceptable, but less common and often less clear than alternative expressions like "it was stopped" or "it was discontinued". As indicated by Ludwig AI, while technically correct, it may sound awkward or overly formal in many contexts. It appears most frequently in science and news media, but even there, simpler alternatives are generally preferred. When writing, consider whether a more direct and active voice construction would improve clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was discontinued

Replaces "ceased" with a more common synonym, implying a formal ending.

it was stopped

Offers a simpler and more direct way to convey the same meaning.

it was terminated

Suggests a more abrupt or forceful ending compared to "ceased".

it was ended

Emphasizes the completion or conclusion of something.

it was halted

Implies a temporary or sudden stop to an action or process.

it was suspended

Suggests a temporary interruption, potentially with the possibility of resuming later.

it was aborted

Implies that a process or plan was stopped before completion, often due to unforeseen circumstances.

it was canceled

Used when an event or plan is called off and will not proceed.

it was abandoned

Indicates that something was left unfinished or discarded.

it was revoked

Suggests a formal cancellation, especially of a permit or license.

FAQs

Is "it was ceased" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it was ceased" is grammatically acceptable, but it is less common than alternatives such as "it was stopped" or "it was discontinued".

What's a more natural way to say "it was ceased"?

Consider using phrases like "it was stopped", "it was terminated", or "it was discontinued" depending on the specific context.

In what contexts is "it was ceased" typically used?

"It was ceased" is sometimes used in formal writing or technical contexts, but it can sound awkward. Reviewing the specific context can help determine whether a clearer alternative is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "it was ceased" and "it ceased to be"?

"It ceased to be" implies that something stopped existing, while "it was ceased" means something was stopped from continuing. Consider, "The project ceased to be" (it ended) versus "The project was ceased" (someone stopped it).