kept in charge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "kept in charge" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where someone is being maintained in a position of responsibility, but it is not commonly used. Example: "After the restructuring, she was kept in charge of the marketing department."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Mark Lehner, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based archaeologist who has known and worked with Hawass for decades, says, "I assume Zahi will be kept in charge".

Science Magazine

He was, in fact, offered the job by David Cameron last night but this morning said no and asked to be kept in charge of welfare reform.

BBC

A controversial man himself, Ecclestone recently settled a bribery case in Germany for $100 million, having been accused of orchestrating the sale of a controlling share in F1 to a private equity group at a discounted price as long as he was kept in charge.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He'd rather spin off the unit in a way that would allow him to keep in charge of the operation.

Forbes

And Exeter's forwards continued to keep in charge as Horstmann rounded off a fine move to go over five minutes from the end, before skipper Mumm scored a try for the third successive game in the final minute after more powerful work by the pack.

BBC

Magnitsky was the target of investigations, arrested by authorities and kept in jail without charges.

The Washington Post

Three Russian gay rights campaigners were kept in custody and charged with disobeying police.

The Guardian

"This time [tactics] to extract confessions were basically devastating and disturbing," Jackson said, explaining detainees were not given lawyers and in some situations kept in custody without charges.

Vice

Following the World Cup, Bradley signed a contract extension until 2014 that would have kept him in charge until at least the following tournament in Brazil.

The Guardian - Sport

The settlement enabled blacks to vote but barred land redistribution and kept whites in charge of the government and security forces.

The Washington Post

Only Lacerda's support kept her in charge, even when her landscape designer publicly attacked her as an egomaniac and all-round disaster area.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "kept in charge", ensure the context clearly indicates who made the decision to maintain someone in that position. This adds clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "kept in charge" in highly formal or professional writing. Opt for more conventional phrases like "remained in control" or "continued to lead" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "kept in charge" functions as a verb phrase combined with a prepositional phrase, describing the action of maintaining someone's authority or responsibility. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is acceptable, although not the most common.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "kept in charge" describes the action of maintaining someone in a position of authority or responsibility. While grammatically acceptable, according to Ludwig AI, it is not the most common or stylistically refined choice. More common alternatives like "remained in control" or "continued to lead" often provide greater clarity and professionalism, especially in formal settings. The primary contexts where it appears are in news and media, with occasional use in wiki and scientific content. As Ludwig analysis shows, it is more effective to use a different and more common alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remained in control

Focuses on maintaining control rather than explicitly being 'in charge'.

continued to lead

Emphasizes the act of leading, implying ongoing responsibility.

maintained authority

Highlights the preservation of authority, a key aspect of being in charge.

stayed at the helm

Uses a nautical metaphor to describe remaining in a leadership position.

held the reins

Emphasizes control and direction, like holding the reins of a horse.

was kept as leader

Rephrases to emphasize the act of being 'kept' in a leadership role.

retained leadership

Focuses on the retention of a leadership position.

was allowed to continue leading

Highlights the permission or allowance to continue in a leadership role.

was designated to lead

Focuses on the designation aspect, meaning who has been assigned to lead.

was allowed to maintain control

Highlights the allowance of maintained control.

FAQs

What does "kept in charge" mean?

The phrase "kept in charge" means someone was maintained in a position of authority or responsibility. It implies a decision was made to allow them to continue leading or managing something.

What can I say instead of "kept in charge"?

You can use alternatives like "remained in control", "continued to lead", or "maintained authority" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "kept in charge" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "kept in charge" is not the most common or stylistically elegant phrase. Alternatives often provide a clearer and more professional tone.

How to use "kept in charge" in a sentence?

Example: "Despite the company's poor performance, the CEO was "kept in charge" by the board of directors." Consider more common alternatives for improved clarity and impact.