previously successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previously successful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has achieved success in the past. Example: "The previously successful marketing campaign led to a significant increase in sales."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Not everybody who was previously successful will dominate the next level.

The Guardian - Business

New Parks, New Revenue But previously successful teams have hit some hard times in their new parks.

The New York Times - Sports

Middle school is a stage where even previously successful students sometimes succumb to poor self-esteem, lower academic expectations, troubles with friends and detachment from school.

The New York Times

Star Trek Beyond was supposed to be the movie that sent the previously successful JJ Abrams-sponsored reboot programme careering into a black hole.

The Guardian - Film

Previously, successful companies tended to gravitate toward what historians of retail have called the Big Middle, because that's where most of the customers were.

The New Yorker

The Cane-Zebiak model, previously successful, is still predicting only a mild Niño this year, and even a "refined" version of it says the winter will be normal.

The Economist

But in the interim, Chrysler is hewing to its previously successful formula of stylish, affordable cars and rugged sport utility vehicles — albeit with better mileage than previous products.

The New York Times

In 2006, Mr. Sherwood left "Good Morning America" as well as television news and returned to his previously successful career as an author, mainly of novels.

The New York Times

The effect is both to drive the share price down further and to damage the performance of the previously successful managers.

The Economist

My husband is a previously successful accountant, but three years ago our family was hit by several tragic incidents that affected us all badly, and my husband in particular.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

As described previously, 'successful' psychopaths are characterized by a similar heart rate response to stress as normal individuals have, whereas 'unsuccessful' psychopaths showed a blunted autonomic response.

Crime Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a strategy or method, use "previously successful" to highlight its past effectiveness, emphasizing why it might be worth considering again or adapting for current use.

Common error

Avoid assuming that a "previously successful" approach will automatically work in a new situation. Analyze why it was effective before and what factors have changed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previously successful" functions as a compound adjective, modifying a noun to describe something that has achieved success in the past. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "previously successful" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something that has achieved success in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is a useful phrase for providing context and background, particularly when discussing strategies or methods. When using this phrase, consider the reasons for past success and whether those factors still apply. Common alternatives include "formerly successful" and "once successful". While versatile, it is essential to avoid assumptions that past success guarantees future results. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Science.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly successful

Replaces "previously" with "formerly", indicating a state that existed in the past but not now.

once successful

Substitutes "previously" with "once", highlighting a success that occurred at a specific point in the past.

historically successful

Emphasizes success that occurred over a longer period in the past.

in the past successful

Rephrases to highlight that the success occurred during a prior time.

earlier successful

Focuses on the success happening at an earlier time, but it is less common.

prior successful

Uses "prior" to indicate the success happened before the current situation.

formerly flourishing

Replaces "successful" with "flourishing", emphasizing a state of growth and prosperity that existed in the past.

previously thriving

Substitutes "successful" with "thriving", suggesting a state of prosperity and growth that occurred in the past.

once flourishing

Combines "once" with "flourishing" to emphasize a past period of prosperity.

historically prosperous

Replaces "successful" with "prosperous", focusing on economic success over an extended period in the past.

FAQs

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

You can use "previously successful" to describe strategies, methods, or individuals who have achieved success in the past. For example: "The company decided to reinstate a "previously successful" marketing campaign."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "previously successful"?

Alternatives include "formerly successful", "once successful", or "historically successful", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "previously successful"?

While "successful" implies a positive outcome, using "previously successful" emphasizes that the success occurred in the past and may not be ongoing. It adds clarity and is not necessarily redundant.

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

"Previously successful" indicates that something was successful in the past but may not be currently, whereas "currently successful" means that it is successful now. The former implies a change in status.