made reference

USAGE SUMMARY

"made reference" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to indicate that one thing was mentioned in relation to another. For example: "In the essay, the author made reference to the important contributions of several influential figures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"In fact, neither the question, nor the answers which referred to 'sympathy', made reference to [Isis].

The Guardian

I have made reference to its characters.

The New York Times

One made reference to "the ghetto".

The Guardian

The press conference made reference to Aldrin's recent celebrity pursuits.

The Guardian

He also made reference to "the Popper legend" at times.

The New York Times - Books

She'd merely made reference to my daughter's skin tone.

The Guardian

Massey said that Trump made reference to her college degrees.

Princeton University

To that, among other things, I made reference.

Yale University

The statement made reference only to the "Bagram Prison".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

KMD's samples made reference to racial unease.

The New Yorker

Alignments to a custom-made reference genome were done using bowtie2 (2.2.9) software.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made reference" when you want to indicate an indirect or subtle mention of something, rather than a direct quotation or explicit statement. This is particularly useful in academic or journalistic writing where nuance is important.

Common error

Avoid constructions that unnecessarily distance the subject from the action. Instead of "reference was made to", prefer active constructions like "the author made reference to".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made reference" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action of alluding to or mentioning something indirectly. This is validated by Ludwig, which confirms the phrase's correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "made reference" is a versatile phrase used to indicate an indirect mention or allusion to something. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts. It is most frequently found in News & Media, Academic, and Science publications and leans toward a neutral-to-formal register. While it's considered very common, writers should be mindful of overusing passive voice and consider more concise alternatives like "alluded to" or "referred to" when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

referred to

Similar to "made reference", but can imply a more direct or explicit mention.

made an allusion to

More formal and literary than "made reference".

alluded to

This is a more concise way of saying that something was indirectly mentioned.

touched upon

Suggests a brief or light mention of a topic.

hinted at

Implies a subtle or indirect suggestion, rather than a direct mention.

cited

Implies a more formal and direct quotation or mention, often in academic or legal contexts.

spoke of

A more general term for talking about something, which may or may not be indirect.

brought up

Implies introducing a topic into a conversation or discussion.

drew attention to

Focuses on highlighting something, rather than just mentioning it.

pointed out

Implies making a specific observation or highlighting a detail.

FAQs

How can I use "made reference" in a sentence?

Use "made reference" to indicate that something was mentioned indirectly or allusively. For example, "The speaker "made reference" to the economic challenges facing the country."

What's a more concise way to say "made reference to"?

You can use "alluded to" or "referred to" as more concise alternatives depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "made reference" instead of "mentioned"?

"Made reference" is suitable when the mention is indirect or not the main focus of the discussion. If the mention is direct and central, "mentioned" might be more appropriate.

Is "made reference" formal or informal?

"Made reference" is considered neutral to formal in tone, suitable for academic, journalistic, and professional writing. It's less common in informal conversation.