managed to secure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase “managed to secure” is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the successful completion of a task, for example: "After months of hard work, I managed to secure a promotion at my job."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The BBC's security team believes it managed to secure the site on Saturday 28 December.

The Guardian - Tech

His lawyers, working frantically, managed to secure a stay.

The New York Times

(There are exemptions, however: restaurants managed to secure one for takeout food, for example).

The New York Times

It nevertheless managed to secure a point at Arsenal in its last Champions League outing.

The New York Times

My father had not managed to secure the piece that had the "Bou".

The New York Times

Turkish government officials have not revealed how they managed to secure the release of the captives.

Independent

So the organizers went to private donors and managed to secure $100,000.

The New York Times

Pocketnow managed to secure some details on the device along with two leaked adverts.

The Guardian - Tech

Through determined efforts, she has managed to secure most of her costs through donations.

The Guardian

Of those, technology also managed to secure the highest average pledge, at over £80.

The Guardian - Tech

By 1930, "only 5 African Americans managed to secure firefighting positions," Goldberg writes.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "managed to secure" when you want to emphasize the effort or challenge involved in obtaining something. It suggests that the outcome wasn't guaranteed and required some degree of skill or persistence.

Common error

Avoid using "managed to secure" when the action is routine or easily accomplished. Using it in such contexts can sound overly dramatic or unnatural. For example, instead of "I managed to secure a glass of water", simply say "I got a glass of water".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "managed to secure" functions as a verb phrase indicating the successful achievement or attainment of something. It suggests that some effort or skill was required to achieve the result. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "managed to secure" is a versatile expression used to indicate the successful attainment of something, often implying effort or overcoming challenges. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usability across various contexts. It's particularly common in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business settings. When using the phrase, consider whether the "managed" aspect is necessary; if the action was routine, "secured" may suffice. Alternatives like "succeeded in obtaining" or "was able to acquire" can provide subtle variations in emphasis. Remember, using "managed to secure" in trivial contexts can sound unnatural.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

succeeded in obtaining

Replaces "managed" with "succeeded", focusing on the successful outcome of the effort to obtain something.

was successful in securing

Explicitly states success in securing, adding emphasis to the successful outcome.

was able to acquire

Uses "was able" instead of "managed" and "acquire" instead of "secure", emphasizing the ability to obtain something.

successfully attained

Replaces "managed" with "successfully" and uses "attained" instead of "secure", highlighting the successful achievement.

achieved the acquisition of

Emphasizes the achievement of the acquisition, rephrasing "secure" as "acquisition of".

accomplished the procurement of

Uses more formal language, replacing "managed" with "accomplished" and "secure" with "procurement of".

brought about the acquisition of

Focuses on the act of causing the acquisition, using a more complex sentence structure.

effected the attainment of

Employs formal language, replacing "managed" with "effected" and "secure" with "attainment of".

realized the acquisition of

Highlights the realization of gaining something, using "realized" instead of "managed".

succeeded at getting

Uses a simpler and more direct approach, focusing on the success in obtaining something.

FAQs

How can I use "managed to secure" in a sentence?

Use "managed to secure" to indicate that someone successfully obtained or achieved something, often implying some effort or difficulty. For example, "The team managed to secure funding for their project".

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

You can use alternatives like "succeeded in obtaining", "was able to acquire", or "successfully attained" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to include "managed" when talking about securing something?

No, it's not always necessary. "Managed" adds an element of effort or overcoming difficulty. If the act of securing something was straightforward, you can simply say "secured".

What's the difference between "managed to secure" and "tried to secure"?

"Managed to secure" indicates success in obtaining something, while "tried to secure" implies an attempt, but not necessarily a successful outcome.