multiple victims were

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "multiple victims were" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing incidents or events involving more than one victim, such as accidents or crimes. Example: "In the recent accident, multiple victims were taken to the hospital for treatment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"Multiple victims" were killed in the shooting, Lanier said.

The Guardian

Multiple victims were brought here on metal security barriers, used as makeshift stretchers.

The New York Times

There were four cases where multiple police officers shot and killed the same victim, and one case where multiple victims were shot by the same officer.

The Washington Post

At a briefing Monday at the headquarters of France's Bureau of Investigations and Analyses outside of Paris, officials said the remains of multiple victims were clearly visible from the high-resolution images, though it would likely be several weeks or months before a more precise count of corpses entombed within the plane, an Airbus A330-200, would be known.

The New York Times

Multiple victims were found in the vicinity of the Fifth Third Center, police said.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy.

The Guardian

The president said: "Any death of this sort is a tragedy … Any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy.

The Guardian

A complicated situation arises when multiple victims are caught in an avalanche and where medical and other rescue demands overwhelm resources in the field.

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine

"Any death of this sort is a tragedy, any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy," he said.

Huffington Post

Police lieutenant Michael Blevins told NBC San Diego that multiple victims are associated with the charges but declined to say how many.

Huffington Post

Shootings with multiple victims are way up and probably account for most of the increases seen citywide.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting on incidents involving "multiple victims were", be specific with numbers if available to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity. For example, state "Three victims were injured" instead of just "multiple victims were injured".

Common error

Avoid using "multiple victims were" when the exact number of victims is known. Oversimplifying known details can diminish the impact and accuracy of your statement. Always strive for precision when reporting on sensitive subjects.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "multiple victims were" functions as a statement of fact, typically within a descriptive or narrative context. It introduces the presence of more than one person harmed or affected by a specific incident. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is generally considered correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "multiple victims were" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to indicate that more than one person was affected by an event. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is considered correct. Its usage is most prevalent in news and media, as well as scientific contexts, maintaining a neutral register suitable for objective reporting. For clarity, specify the exact number of victims when possible. Alternatives include "several victims were" or "numerous victims were", depending on the context. While not extremely frequent, this phrase serves an important function in conveying the scope of an incident.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

several victims were

Changes "multiple" to "several", indicating more than two but not necessarily a large number.

there were several victims

Inverts the sentence structure to start with "there were".

numerous victims were

Replaces "multiple" with "numerous", suggesting a large number of victims.

a number of victims were

Uses "a number of" to convey the idea of more than one victim.

many victims were

Simplifies the phrasing to "many", indicating a considerable quantity of victims.

various victims were

Replaces "multiple" with "various", emphasizing the diversity or different types of victims.

multiple people were victimized

Focuses on the action of being victimized rather than just stating their existence.

multiple casualties occurred

Emphasizes the occurrence of casualties rather than explicitly stating the existence of victims.

many individuals were victimized

Replaces "victims" with the more formal "individuals" and uses "victimized" as the verb.

a multitude of victims existed

Expresses a large number of victims with the wording "a multitude of".

FAQs

How can I use "multiple victims were" in a sentence?

The phrase "multiple victims were" is used to indicate that more than one person has been harmed or affected by an event. For example, "Multiple victims were injured in the car accident".

What can I say instead of "multiple victims were"?

You can use alternatives like "several victims were", "numerous victims were", or "a number of victims were" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "multiple victim was"?

No, the correct phrasing is "multiple victims were" because "multiple" implies more than one, requiring the plural "victims" and the plural form of the verb "were".

What is the difference between "multiple victims were" and "a victim was"?

"Multiple victims were" indicates that several people were affected, whereas "a victim was" refers to a single individual being affected. The choice depends on the number of people involved in the situation.