they were engaged

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence 'they were engaged' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this sentence to indicate that two people have a formal commitment to marry each other. For example, "John and Sarah announced their engagement today - they were engaged!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Last month, they were engaged.

The New York Times

They were engaged this spring.

The New Yorker

They were engaged.

MIT Technology Review

Both were infants when they were engaged.

The New York Times

They were engaged within a year.

The New Yorker

Six weeks later, they were engaged.

The New York Times

They were engaged June 30.

The New York Times

In three months, they were engaged.

The New Yorker

They were engaged in butchering hippopotamus.

University of California, Berkeley

By New Year's Eve they were engaged.

The New York Times

They were engaged seven months later.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using the active voice ("they got engaged") if you want to emphasize the action of becoming engaged rather than the state of being engaged.

Common error

Avoid using "they were engaged" when you mean "they were interested" or "they were participating". "Engaged" in the relationship sense refers specifically to a marriage commitment. For other contexts, choose words like "involved", "participating", or "interested".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were engaged" functions as a declarative statement indicating that two individuals have entered into a formal agreement to marry. This phrase is commonly used to report or confirm a couple's intention to wed. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they were engaged" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate a couple's formal commitment to marriage. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. The phrase is appropriate for neutral contexts like news reports and general conversation. While alternatives exist, such as "they "got engaged"" or "they "became engaged"", the core meaning remains consistent. When writing, ensure that "engaged" is used in its intended context related to marriage plans, avoiding confusion with meanings related to interest or participation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they got engaged

Uses the verb "got" instead of "were", creating a more active voice but retaining the same core meaning.

they became engaged

Replaces "were" with "became", indicating a transition into the state of engagement.

they were betrothed

Employs the more formal and somewhat archaic term "betrothed" instead of "engaged".

they were promised to each other

Expresses the engagement as a promise between the two individuals, altering the sentence structure.

they committed to marry

Emphasizes the commitment aspect of engagement, using a more direct verb choice.

they decided to get married

Focuses on the decision to marry rather than the formal engagement, shifting the emphasis slightly.

they were set to marry

Highlights the future event of marriage. Slightly more distant than "engaged".

they planned to wed

Uses "wed" as a synonym for "marry", emphasizing the future wedding plans.

they set a wedding date

Highlights the act of setting a date, indicating a firm intention to marry.

their engagement was announced

Shifts the focus to the announcement of the engagement rather than the state itself.

FAQs

What's the difference between "they were engaged" and "they got engaged"?

Both phrases mean the same thing: that a couple has formally agreed to marry. However, "they "got engaged"" emphasizes the action of becoming engaged, while "they were engaged" describes their state after the engagement.

How do I use "they were engaged" in a sentence?

You can use "they were engaged" to state a past fact about a couple's relationship status. For example, "After dating for two years, they were engaged." The phrase is simple and declarative.

What can I say instead of "they were engaged"?

Depending on the context, you could say "they "became engaged"", "they "were betrothed"" (more formal), or "they "planned to wed"" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "they are engaged to be married" if "they were engaged" already implies marriage?

While "they were engaged" does imply a future marriage, saying "they are engaged to be married" isn't incorrect. It's simply more explicit and can be used for emphasis, though it's often considered somewhat redundant.