must be received

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "must be received" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is required by law, policy, or custom. For example, "All payments must be received by the 15th of each month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Nominations must be received by Friday.

The New York Times

Applications must be received by May 15.

The New York Times - Food

Applications must be received by Aug. 30.

The New York Times

They must be received before 1pm on Monday.

The Guardian

He must be received properly by the people of Pakistan.

The New Yorker

Terms & Conditions: Entries must be received by 10 October.

Independent

Submissions must be received by April 15 to be considered.

The New York Times

All entries for this year's competition must be received by Tuesday.

The New York Times

Applications must be received by Labour's London region by noon on May 20.

The Guardian

All entries must be received by noon on Wednesday 15 December 2016.

The Guardian - Sport

Nov. 17 -- All overseas Florida ballots must be received by the Florida secretary of state.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In legal contexts, follow "must be received" with the specific method of delivery (e.g., "must be received by certified mail").

Common error

Avoid using relative timeframes like "must be received soon". Always use a specific date and time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "must be received" functions as part of a passive construction, indicating a necessary condition for something to be considered valid or complete. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "must be received" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression for specifying a requirement or deadline. As Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, this passive construction effectively conveys that something needs to arrive or be delivered by a certain point to be considered valid. Predominantly used in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts. To enhance clarity, always include a specific date and time. For similar expression, you could opt for are required to be submitted, are due by or must arrive before.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are required to be submitted

Replaces "must be received" with a more formal tone, emphasizing the mandatory aspect of submission.

need to be acknowledged

Shifts the focus to the act of acknowledgement rather than the act of receiving, implying a need for confirmation.

have to be delivered

Emphasizes the action of delivering, suggesting a focus on the transportation aspect.

should be accepted

Focuses on acceptance as the crucial element rather than simply being received, suggesting evaluation may occur.

are due by

Highlights the deadline aspect, specifying a cutoff time for receipt.

must arrive before

Stresses the importance of arriving before a certain time or date.

are to be handed in

Suggests a physical act of submission, replacing a more general receiving action.

ought to be obtained

Focuses on the process of obtaining something, implying effort is needed on the receiver side.

are expected to be in

Emphasizes the anticipation of the item being received, putting the onus on the sender.

should be in hand

Focuses on possession after receiving, implying a state of readiness or control.

FAQs

What does "must be received by" mean?

It indicates the latest acceptable time or date for something to arrive or be delivered. For example, "Applications "must be received" by May 15" means applications arriving after that date won't be considered.

What are some alternatives to saying "must be received"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "are required to be submitted", "are due by", or "must arrive before".

Is it better to use active or passive voice when specifying deadlines?

Using passive voice with ""must be received"" is common, but active voice (e.g., "You must submit") can be more direct. The best choice depends on the context and desired tone.

Is "must be received" formal or informal?

"Must be received" is generally considered neutral to formal. In very informal contexts, you might use phrases like "have to get it by" instead.