previously possessed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previously possessed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that was owned or held by someone in the past. Example: "The artifact was previously possessed by a renowned collector before it was donated to the museum."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

He said the evidence previously possessed by Anan had been stashed abroad, to be released in case any harm should come to him in Egypt.

The Guardian

8: [I]t stripped same-sex couples of the ability they previously possessed to obtain from the State, or an other authorized party, an important right the right to obtain and use the designation of "marriage" to describe their relationships.

The New Yorker

8: [I]t stripped same-sex couples of the ability they previously possessed to obtain from the State, or an other authorized party, an important right — the right to obtain and use the designation of "marriage" to describe their relationships.

The New Yorker

The scope of the remedy added by the constitution of 1874 to those previously possessed by persons whose property is affected by the erection of a public work is declared by the court not to embrace the case of damages purely consequential.

Cornell University

It pursued ad hoc measures in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but declined to adopt a systematic federalism that might properly have embraced England as well; and it created a new Scottish parliament and local electoral system that helped the SNP to acquire a degree of power that it had never previously possessed.

The Guardian

Neither side previously possessed a scoring ratio better than one goal-a-game in the league this season, and this lack of incision was on show as both sides bombed forward in an entertaining contest without forcing a breakthrough.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) Michael Landon ORIGIN STORY Like many of his peers Tony Rivers (a pre- Bonanza" Michael Landon) is having strange nocturnal urges and finding hair on his body he didn't pre- Bonanzaossess.

The New York Times

When previously possessing higher centrality in the knowledge network of a certain virtual community, participants can obtain more benefits such as interpersonal relationships, reputation, being recognized as an expert and being trusted, while other members rely on these leading members to communicate (Liu and Lin, 2015).

Frontiers of Business Research in China

Allegedly, the 11-year-old David Glatzel had previously been possessed by the demon.

Vice

Indeed, the detection of Defa4 and Defa-rs10 transcripts in their experimental groups suggests that the mice previously studied possessed at least a component of the original 129S1/Sv genetic background, as these genes are not found in B6 strains.

Gut

Here, we investigated a 10 23 DNAzyme that has been shown previously to possess cellular activity.

Inorganica Chimica Acta

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "previously possessed", ensure the context clearly indicates what was owned or held and by whom. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "previously possessed" in overly passive constructions. Opt for active voice where possible to make your writing more direct and engaging.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previously possessed" functions as a verb phrase, typically used in the passive voice to describe a past state of ownership or holding of something. It indicates that the subject of the sentence had ownership or control over something at an earlier time. Ludwig AI examples show varied contexts of its uses.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "previously possessed" is a verb phrase used to describe a past state of ownership or holding. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts. While alternatives like "formerly owned" and "previously held" exist, "previously possessed" provides a specific nuance of having been in possession at some point in the past. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and context to avoid ambiguity and consider active voice for more engaging writing. Though not as common as other phrases, it remains a useful tool for historical or descriptive writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously held

Direct synonym focusing on past possession.

earlier possessed

Synonym highlighting the temporal aspect of possession.

formerly owned

Emphasizes prior ownership.

once held

Focuses on a past state of holding something.

formerly in possession of

More formal way to express previous ownership.

at one time owned

Highlights that ownership occurred at a specific past time.

used to own

Common and simple way to indicate past ownership.

had in the past

Simple and straightforward way to express prior possession.

before had

Indicates a state of having something at an earlier time.

prior had

Another way to say previously had something.

FAQs

How can I use "previously possessed" in a sentence?

You can use "previously possessed" to indicate that someone or something owned or held something at an earlier time. For example, "The artifact was previously possessed by a renowned collector."

What can I say instead of "previously possessed"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly owned", "previously held", or "once held" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "previously possessed" or "formerly owned"?

Both "previously possessed" and "formerly owned" are correct, but "formerly owned" is generally more concise and commonly used.

What's the difference between "previously possessed" and "currently possessed"?

"Previously possessed" refers to something that was owned in the past, while "currently possessed" refers to something that is owned now. They indicate different time frames of ownership.