touched down

USAGE SUMMARY

"touched down" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to the act of an airplane or spacecraft landing safely. For example, "The airplane touched down on the runway just before midnight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Yakov touched down.

The New York Times

They touched down around lunchtime.

Independent

Daryl Gibson touched down.

The Guardian - Sport

Eventually the plane touched down.

The Guardian

Tornadoes even touched down in Queens and Brooklyn.

The New York Times - Arts

Even though it was never touched down.

The Guardian - Sport

At 6.12am the plane touched down.

The Guardian - Sport

Spain have touched down in Madrid.

The Guardian - Sport

The tornado touched down between Cement and Anadarko.

The Guardian

Apparently not: the cyclone never touched down on land.

The New Yorker

But once the Pope touched down in Edinburgh, everything changed.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "touched down" when referring to tornadoes or storms making contact with the ground.

Common error

Ensure you use the correct tense of "touched down" depending on the context. Use "touches down" for present tense, "touched down" for past tense, and "will touch down" for future tense.

Linguistic Context

Touched down functions as a phrasal verb, indicating the completion of a landing or the point of contact. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts, from airplanes landing to tornadoes making contact with the ground. It describes a completed action of reaching a surface.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "touched down" is a versatile phrasal verb primarily used to describe the landing of an aircraft, spacecraft, or the point of impact of a tornado or storm. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically sound and frequently used. Its neutral register makes it suitable for various contexts, from news reports to personal narratives. While "touched down" is the most common way to express this idea, alternatives like "landed", "arrived", and "set down" can be used depending on the specific context. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating the diverse applications of this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

landed

Refers to the act of bringing an aircraft or spacecraft to the ground.

set down

Implies placing something gently or carefully, including aircraft.

grounded

Implies bringing something to the ground, often used for aircraft.

arrived

Indicates reaching a destination, which can be a general or figurative landing.

made landfall

Specifically used when a storm or hurricane reaches land.

came down

Simply means to descend and reach the ground.

came to rest

Describes the final position after a movement, like landing or falling.

reached the surface

Describes making contact with a surface, applicable in various contexts.

alighted

Often used for birds or passengers disembarking, but can refer to landing.

hit the ground

Can refer to a literal impact or a figurative return to reality.

FAQs

What does "touched down" mean?

"Touched down" typically refers to an aircraft or spacecraft landing safely on the ground. It can also describe a tornado or storm making contact with the ground.

What can I say instead of "touched down"?

You can use alternatives like "landed", "arrived", or "set down" depending on the context.

Is "touch down" or "touched down" correct?

"Touch down" is the base form, while "touched down" is the past tense form. Use "touched down" when describing an event that has already happened.

How is "touched down" used in sports?

In some sports, such as rugby, "touched down" can refer to scoring a try by grounding the ball in the opponent's in-goal area.