managed to contact

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "managed to contact" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a successful effort to reach someone or establish communication. Example: "After several attempts, I finally managed to contact the customer service department."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Before her graduation from a prestigious master's program in finance in 2002, Yun managed to contact a senior manager who was affiliated with the hiring bank through a good friend's husband.

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

Some hostages managed to contact their families.

The Guardian

Then Blyth's crew managed to contact Chinese authorities.

The Guardian

Using Facebook, I'd managed to contact a family friend who agreed to pick me up.

The Guardian

He'd found one of his cousins on Facebook, and, through him, managed to contact his uncle.

The New Yorker

It reveals the party has only managed to contact one in five voters in marginal seats.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Spooked, Simone manages to contact Grazia Negro, a forensic criminologist who specializes in assassini seriali.

The New York Times - Books

He then manages to contact Earth, and a debate over whether to go save him ensues.

Independent

"How did The New Yorker manage to contact so many writers in a few hours?" Borgonovo said Debenedetti asked him.

The New Yorker

Even when Swaminathan manages to contact his family, via voice messages on WhatsApp when they can piggyback on another ship's wifi, he cannot tell his little girl, who will be seven in June, when he will see her again.

The Guardian

They get on the air once in a while from the Shuttle, thrilling earthbound hams who manage to contact them.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "managed to contact" when you want to emphasize the effort or difficulty involved in reaching someone. It implies that it wasn't a straightforward process.

Common error

While "managed to contact" is a useful phrase, avoid overusing it. If the contact was routine, simpler alternatives like "contacted" or "reached" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "managed to contact" functions as a verb phrase indicating the successful completion of an action, specifically establishing communication with someone. As Ludwig shows, it's used to describe instances where contacting someone involved effort or overcoming obstacles.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

16%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "managed to contact" is a versatile verb phrase used to indicate the successful establishment of communication, often implying effort or difficulty. Ludwig's analysis confirms its wide usage across diverse contexts, primarily in news and media, but also in scientific and formal settings. The phrase is grammatically correct and maintains a neutral tone, making it suitable for a broad range of writing styles. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is commonly used and understood in English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

succeeded in contacting

Emphasizes successful achievement of communication.

was able to reach

Highlights capability and possibility of connecting.

got in touch with

Informal way of saying "contacted".

made contact with

More formal and emphasizes the action of establishing contact.

connected with

Implies a connection was established, possibly beyond a simple message.

established communication with

Focuses on initiating a communicative link.

reached out to

Suggests the effort of reaching someone, often for help or support.

liaised with

Implies formal communication, often in a professional setting.

got ahold of

More colloquial, implying some difficulty in making contact.

communicated with

A more general term, doesn't necessarily imply effort.

FAQs

What does "managed to contact" mean?

The phrase "managed to contact" means that someone successfully reached or communicated with another person, often after some effort or difficulty.

When should I use "managed to contact"?

Use "managed to contact" when you want to emphasize that reaching someone required effort or overcoming obstacles. It suggests it wasn't a simple or routine communication.

What can I say instead of "managed to contact"?

You can use alternatives like "succeeded in contacting", "was able to reach", or "got in touch with" depending on the context.

Is "managed to contact" formal or informal?

"Managed to contact" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, "established communication with" might be preferable.