they were surrendered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were surrendered" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is typically used incorrectly because "surrendered" is a transitive verb that requires a subject to perform the action, not to be acted upon. Example: "The prisoners were surrendered to the authorities after the negotiations."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Two men were tried and Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of the Lockerbie bombing after they were surrendered by Colonel Gaddafi's regime.

The Guardian

There they were surrendered on 26 November.

Wikipedia

This courageous whistleblower, Heather Harecallsone, recalittere litter of puppies: "They were surrendered by their owner -- I picked them up.

Huffington Post

In accordance with Ho-Chunk custom, writes historian Martin Zanger, the six men were not all involved in the murders; they were surrendered to appease American anger and deflect punishment away from the tribe as a whole.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

His opponents appeared to be falling without much of a fight, prompting speculation they were surrendering on purpose.

Independent

Today, the minister, Muhammad Said al-Sahhaf, was no longer contending, as he did on Saturday, that the Americans had been routed from the airport by an Iraqi counterattack, and divided into isolated pockets where they were surrendering en masse.

The New York Times

Those officials were worried, in large part, about creating the impression that they were surrendering to democratic forces and practicing the kind of damage control that a government or corporation might.

The New York Times

In the end, the rebels were able to save face by explaining that they were surrendering without a fight in order to spare the lives of the journalists providing live coverage from within the coup headquarters.The government, for its part, left little to chance in its response.

The Economist

I mean, they were surrendering after all.

TechCrunch

"They are surrendering, they are surrendering," said Capt.

The New York Times

"They are surrendering a captive market to the companies to generate consumers at a young age".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the passive voice, ensure that the subject is clearly defined and that the action being performed is logical. Consider active voice constructions like "someone surrendered them" for improved clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "they were surrendered" when it's unclear who performed the act of surrendering. Reword the sentence to specify the agent or use a more appropriate verb, such as "they were handed over".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were surrendered" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject (they) was the recipient of the action. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, its grammatical correctness is disputable, suggesting careful consideration of alternative phrasing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they were surrendered" is a passive construction with questionable grammatical correctness. Ludwig AI notes that it is not correct in standard English. While it appears in news and wiki contexts, it's crucial to ensure clarity and consider active voice alternatives or rephrased passive constructions like "they were handed over" to avoid ambiguity. Ensure the agent performing the action is clear or implied. This phrase is rare, so carefully consider if a more common expression may be better to use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were handed over

Emphasizes the act of transferring possession or control.

they were given up

Focuses on the act of relinquishing or abandoning something.

they were turned in

Highlights the action of submitting someone or something to authorities.

they were yielded

Implies a forced or reluctant surrender.

they were relinquished

Formally gives up or releases a claim or right.

they were ceded

Conveys the formal transfer of territory or rights by treaty.

they were delivered

Highlights the act of transferring something to a specific place or person.

they were betrayed

Emphasizes the act of being disloyal or deceitful to someone.

they were sacrificed

Highlights giving something up for a greater cause or purpose.

they were extradited

Focuses on the legal process of transferring a suspect to another jurisdiction for trial.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "they were surrendered"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "they were handed over", "they were given up", or "they were turned in".

Is "they were surrendered" grammatically correct?

While sometimes used, "they were surrendered" can be grammatically questionable. According to Ludwig AI, the usage is not correct in standard English. It's clearer to specify who did the surrendering or use an alternative passive construction.

How can I use "they were surrendered" in a sentence correctly?

It's generally better to rephrase the sentence to use a clearer passive construction or an active voice. For example, instead of "they were surrendered", consider "the authorities surrendered them" or "they were handed over to the authorities".

What's the difference between "they were surrendered" and "they surrendered"?

"They surrendered" is active voice, meaning they performed the action of surrendering. "They were surrendered" is passive voice, implying someone else surrendered them. The passive voice is less direct and can be unclear if the actor is not specified.