left us behind

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "left us behind" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something has moved on or progressed, while others have not kept up or have been abandoned. Example: "As technology advanced, many traditional industries were left behind in the dust."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

"I think that they left us behind," she said of the government's treatment of the working middle class.

Vice

Mohanned al-Gharrawi, a senior Sadrist cleric in Baghdad, said, "We feel like a bridge that they used to reach their aims and goals, and then they left us behind".

The New York Times

They have left us behind".

The New York Times

"He left the piano behind when he left us behind.

The Guardian - Music

"Slowly, they started moving toward the jungle and left us behind".

The New York Times

Their message now sounds ludicrous: you left us behind, they cry, but you're on the wrong bloody mountain.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

One said, teasingly, "Mr. President, you're leaving us behind, Papa".

The New Yorker

"The phrase I always hear is, 'They're leaving us behind,"' she said.

The New York Times - Tech

"They can't present us to the world as an image of misery and then leave us behind," he said.

The New York Times

Like the unsuspecting former husband, Britain may find that the divorce from Europe comes quickly and that Merkel suddenly pounces and leaves us behind, lonely and impoverished.

The Guardian - Opinion

Another wrote that she was "totally sick of hearing about other people and races leaving us behind and us doing nothing to make up for it".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "left us behind" to convey a sense of being abandoned or surpassed, whether in a literal or figurative sense. Ensure the context clearly indicates who or what has done the leaving and who or what is left behind.

Common error

Avoid using "left us behind" in passive constructions where the agent causing the abandonment is unclear. Always specify who or what is responsible for the act of leaving.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "left us behind" functions as a phrasal verb construction where 'left' is the past tense of 'leave', 'us' is the object pronoun, and 'behind' is an adverbial particle. This construction, as Ludwig AI confirms, is grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Academia

24%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "left us behind" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe a sense of being abandoned, surpassed, or outdated. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely accepted and understood in English. It appears frequently in News & Media, Academia, and Science contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity about who or what is doing the leaving and who or what is being left behind to avoid ambiguity. While many alternative phrases exist, such as "abandoned us" or "outstripped us", the best choice depends on the specific nuance you intend to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

abandoned us

Directly implies desertion or being forsaken.

forsaken us

Suggests a more profound sense of abandonment, often with emotional or moral implications.

outstripped us

Focuses on being surpassed or exceeded in progress or achievement.

overtaken us

Similar to 'outstripped us' but emphasizes the act of catching up and moving ahead.

left in the dust

Conveys a sense of being far behind, often due to rapid progress by others.

fallen behind

Indicates a failure to keep pace with progress or expectations.

marooned us

Suggests isolation and abandonment in a difficult situation.

deserted us

Emphasizes the act of being abandoned, often unexpectedly.

outpaced us

Highlights the faster pace of others, leading to being left behind.

eclipsed us

Implies that others have overshadowed or surpassed us in significance or achievement.

FAQs

What does it mean to say someone or something has "left us behind"?

Saying someone or something has "left us behind" means that they have progressed or moved forward, while we have either remained stagnant or have not kept pace with their progress. It implies a sense of being abandoned or outdated.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "left us behind"?

Alternatives include "abandoned us", "outstripped us", "fallen behind", or "deserted us". The best alternative depends on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to use the phrase "left us behind"?

Yes, the phrase "left us behind" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to describe a situation where someone or something has moved on or progressed, while others have not kept up.

How can I use "left us behind" in a sentence?

You can use "left us behind" to describe a variety of situations, such as: "As technology advanced, many traditional industries were "left us behind"." or "The company's rapid growth "left us behind", struggling to adapt to the new market demands."