once required

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "once required" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that was necessary or mandatory at a previous time but may no longer be the case. Example: "The documents that were once required for the application process have been streamlined to improve efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Such work once required planes, trains, horses and canoes.

The New York Times

Making ice cream at home once required lots of ice and rock salt.

The New York Times - Food

A single bomb could now destroy a target whose elimination had once required thousands of bombs.

The New Yorker

Large billboards once required the touch of artisans to paint every detail.

The New York Times

A pursuit that had once required arcane knowledge was now within reach of any enthusiastic amateur.

The Guardian - Books

The business recalls the obeisance to certain Italian gentlemen once required of American presidential candidates.

The Guardian - Opinion

That skill once required mastery of orthographical codes and subtle syntax acquired over years.

The Economist

Start-ups once required a lot of money, time and people.

The New York Times - Tech

Companies' purse strings, which once required a gentle tickle to loosen, now often require a crowbar.

The Economist

In and around Salt Lake City, 16 of the 40 schools that once required uniforms have dropped them.

The New York Times

Such deliberately unrom­antic portrayals underline the dedication that was once required to forge a career in live music.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "once required" to highlight changes in processes, regulations, or technology that have rendered a previous necessity obsolete.

Common error

Avoid using "once required" when the requirement still exists, as this suggests it is no longer needed. Ensure that the context clearly indicates the requirement is no longer in effect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "once required" functions as a verb phrase, indicating a past necessity or obligation that is no longer in effect. As Ludwig AI points out, this construction highlights a change over time, showing that something that was previously mandatory is not so anymore. Many examples in the search results show things that used to involve labour, bureaucracy or specific skills, but no longer do.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "once required" effectively communicates a change over time, indicating that something formerly necessary is no longer so. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used across varied contexts, predominantly in news, business and scientific domains. When using "once required", ensure that the context clearly demonstrates the shift from past necessity to present irrelevance. Avoiding this, you may use alternatives like "formerly necessary", and "previously needed" for slight nuances in tone and formality. Ensure a clear contrast between past and present, and remember that "once required" highlights progress and change.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly necessary

Replaces "required" with "necessary" and "once" with "formerly" for a more formal tone.

previously needed

Substitutes "required" with "needed" and "once" with "previously", softening the tone slightly.

used to be a requirement

Emphasizes the past state as a "requirement" that is no longer valid.

was once mandatory

Replaces "required" with "mandatory", indicating a stricter past obligation.

at one time was essential

Highlights the "essential" nature of the requirement in the past.

in the past was a necessity

Emphasizes that something "was a necessity" at a point in the past

historically required

Focuses on the "historical" aspect of the requirement.

that which used to be needed

More descriptive and verbose, emphasizing the change in need.

what was formerly requisite

Uses more formal vocabulary like "requisite" to indicate a higher level of necessity in the past.

something previously stipulated

Implies the requirement was formally "stipulated" in the past.

FAQs

How do I use "once required" in a sentence?

Use "once required" to describe something that was necessary or mandatory in the past but is no longer so. For example, "A driver's license was "once required" to operate a vehicle, but now autonomous cars are being tested."

What can I say instead of "once required"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly necessary", "previously needed", or "used to be a requirement" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "still required" instead of "once required"?

No, "still required" and "once required" have opposite meanings. "Once required" indicates a past requirement that no longer exists, while "still required" means the requirement is currently in effect.

What's the difference between "once required" and "always required"?

"Once required" refers to something that was necessary at one point but isn't anymore. "Always required" suggests that something has consistently been a necessity. For example, providing identification was "once required" for boarding planes, but now there are digital options. In contrast, honesty is "always required" for building trust.