once designated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "once designated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that has been assigned or appointed at a specific time in the past. Example: "The area was once designated as a wildlife reserve, but it has since been developed for commercial use."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

Swindal, 52, was once designated as George Steinbrenner's successor to head the Yankees.

The New York Times

She recalled the short-lived NX line and the double letters that once designated local trains.

The New York Times

This quieter scandal concerns the evolution of Empire Zones, areas once designated as desperately needing jobs and investment.

The New York Times

This quieter scandal concerns the evolution of Empire Zones, areas once designated as needing jobs and investment, into yet another pork-barrel scam.

The New York Times

Once designated to succeed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Montazeri stepped away from the country's hard-line path in the 1980s.

The New York Times

Such was his blowtorch reputation that the New York Police Department once designated Mr. Mason's Manhattan law offices a "sensitive location" ripe for confrontation.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

While these devices are generally designed only to record information once a designated wake word is spoken, few consider the practical reality that to detect the wake word, the device must always be listening for it.

Forbes

He was once the designated successor of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Hank's other son, Evan, also once his designated successor, is chief executive of ACE, another large insurer being investigated in the bid-rigging scandal).

The Economist

The following week, however, President Suleiman once more designated Hariri prime minister and asked that he try again to form the government.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Once the designated revenue is deposited in a fund, no infrastructure charge will be applied to either expenditures against the fund or transfers out of the fund.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "once designated", ensure the context clearly indicates why the designation is no longer current.

Common error

Avoid using "once designated" if the designation is still active. Instead, use present-tense verbs to describe its current status.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "once designated" functions as a past participle phrase modifying a noun. It indicates a previous role, classification, or status that is no longer current. As Ludwig AI states, it is used to refer to something that has been assigned or appointed at a specific time in the past.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

18%

Science

18%

Less common in

Wiki

12%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "once designated" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a past role, title, or status that is no longer active. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s a useful way to provide historical context, highlighting a change or transformation. While primarily found in news and media, it's also common in academic and scientific writing. When using this phrase, ensure the context clarifies why the designation is no longer current and, as a general recommendation, avoid using it to describe a designation that is still active.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly known as

Emphasizes a past identity or name.

previously assigned

Highlights a past allocation or assignment.

originally appointed

Focuses on the initial appointment to a role or position.

used to be called

A more informal way of indicating a past name or designation.

at one time labeled

Highlights a past classification or labeling.

in the past identified as

Focuses on the prior identification of something.

was once considered

Emphasizes a former belief or opinion about something.

had been classified as

Highlights a prior official classification.

previously identified as

Emphasizes a former identification of something.

formerly considered

Highlights a past consideration about something.

FAQs

How can I use "once designated" in a sentence?

Use "once designated" to describe something that had a specific role, title, or status in the past, but no longer does. For example, "The building, "once designated" as a hospital, is now a museum."

What's a more formal alternative to "once designated"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "previously assigned" or "formerly appointed". For instance, "The area "previously assigned" for development is now protected land."

Is it correct to use "once designated" to describe something that is still designated?

No, "once designated" implies that the designation is no longer active. Use present tense to describe something currently designated. For example, instead of saying "The park "once designated" for preservation is still a park", say "The park designated for preservation remains a park".

Which is more appropriate: "once designated" or "formerly known as"?

The best choice depends on the context. "Once designated" is used to refer to roles, titles, and status. "Formerly known as" /s/formerly+known+as is appropriate when indicating that something had a different name in the past. For example, "The company, formerly known as Acme Corp, is now Initech."