tracked down

USAGE SUMMARY

"tracked down" is a valid phrase that is commonly used in written English.
You can use it when talking about the act of looking for someone or something in order to locate them or it. For example: "The police tracked down the stolen car to a nearby location."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Evan could never have tracked down Sasha.

The New Yorker

Investigators tracked down and arrested five men.

The New York Times

Sissay eventually tracked down his own family.

The Guardian - Books

But officers easily tracked down Lun.

The New York Times - Magazine

The investigators tracked down the clients.

The New Yorker

I tracked down their books and cooked many recipes.

The New York Times - Magazine

I tracked down everyone that touched Kevin that day.

Independent

Then why was Mr. Awlaki tracked down on Friday?

The New York Times

Had Osama bin Laden been tracked down at last?

The Economist

What you've got is what Toby tracked down".

The New York Times

Authorities in Japan recently tracked down centenarians.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tracked down" when you want to emphasize the effort and persistence involved in finding someone or something. It implies a deliberate search, often overcoming obstacles.

Common error

While "tracked down" is acceptable in many contexts, consider more formal alternatives like "located" or "identified" in academic or professional writing where a less emphatic tone is preferred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tracked down" primarily functions as a phrasal verb, acting as the past tense of "track down". According to Ludwig AI, it is used to describe the action of finding someone or something after a dedicated search.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Science

6%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tracked down" is a common and grammatically sound phrasal verb used to describe the successful completion of a search. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's widely employed in news and media to convey effort and persistence in finding someone or something. While versatile, it's best suited for neutral contexts and might be replaced with more formal alternatives like "located" in academic or professional writing. To enhance your writing, remember that "tracked down" emphasizes the search process, setting it apart from simpler terms like "found".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

traced

Similar to "tracked down", but slightly less common and more formal.

found

A simple and direct alternative that indicates the act of finding without emphasizing the effort of searching.

located

This alternative provides a more general term for finding someone or something without necessarily implying a search.

hunted down

This emphasizes a more intense and determined search.

pinpointed

This highlights the precision and accuracy in finding the exact location or identity.

discovered

This suggests finding something unexpectedly, which may or may not involve actively searching.

ferreted out

Suggests uncovering something hidden or difficult to find, often through persistent effort.

identified

This alternative suggests recognizing or confirming the identity of something after investigation.

unearthed

This implies digging up or revealing something previously unknown or hidden.

ran down

More informal, implying a chase or pursuit to find someone.

FAQs

How to use "tracked down" in a sentence?

You can use "tracked down" to describe finding someone or something after a search. For example, "The detective tracked down the suspect" or "The researcher tracked down the original study".

What can I say instead of "tracked down"?

You can use alternatives like "located", "found", or "identified" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "tracked down" and "found"?

"Tracked down" implies a deliberate and often difficult search, while "found" is a more general term for discovering something, whether intentionally or accidentally.

Is "tracked down" formal or informal?

"Tracked down" is generally considered neutral in tone. While suitable for news and general writing, more formal options like "located" may be preferable in academic or professional contexts.