underwent surgery

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "underwent surgery" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "The patient underwent surgery to remove the tumor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He immediately underwent surgery.

The New York Times - Magazine

She underwent surgery Tuesday.

The New York Times

He underwent surgery.

The New York Times - Sports

Aucoin underwent surgery Wednesday night.

The New York Times - Sports

He underwent surgery on Thursday.

The New York Times - Arts

He underwent surgery at Bellevue Hospital Center.

The New York Times

Last year, Ms. Mason underwent surgery.

The New York Times - Health

The officers underwent surgery late last night.

The New York Times

Recently, he underwent surgery for colon cancer.

The New York Times

On Sept. 23, he underwent surgery.

The New York Times - Sports

She underwent surgery twice last week.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "underwent surgery" when you want to clearly and directly state that someone had a surgical procedure. This phrase is appropriate for medical reports, news articles, and general communication.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect verb tenses (e.g., "undergo surgery") or mismatching subjects and verbs (e.g., "the patients undergoes surgery"). Ensure the subject agrees in number and the tense is consistent with the timeline of events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "underwent surgery" functions as a verb phrase indicating that someone experienced or received a surgical procedure. Ludwig examples show its use across various contexts, confirming its role in conveying medical experiences.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

46%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "underwent surgery" is a grammatically correct and frequently used way to describe a surgical experience. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s widely accepted in written English. Predominantly found in "News & Media" and "Science", this phrase serves to inform and report medical procedures with a neutral to formal tone. For alternative expressions, consider ""had an operation"" or ""was operated on"" for similar meanings. When writing, ensure correct verb tense and subject-verb agreement to avoid common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had an operation

Replaces "surgery" with a more general term "operation".

was operated on

Shifts the focus to the patient as the recipient of the surgical action.

had surgical intervention

Uses a more formal and clinical term, "surgical intervention", instead of "surgery".

received surgical treatment

Emphasizes the treatment aspect of the surgery.

was treated surgically

Focuses on the method of treatment being surgical.

went under the knife

An idiomatic expression that implies a more serious or invasive surgery.

submitted to surgery

Highlights the patient's consent or decision to have the surgery.

experienced a surgical procedure

Replaces the verb "underwent" with "experienced", framing surgery as an event.

had a surgical procedure performed

Specifies that a surgical procedure was carried out on the patient.

required surgical attention

Suggests the necessity of surgery due to a medical condition.

FAQs

How do I use "underwent surgery" in a sentence?

Use "underwent surgery" to indicate that a person or animal has had a surgical procedure. For example, "The patient "underwent surgery" to remove a tumor".

What are some alternatives to "underwent surgery"?

You can use alternatives like "had an operation", "was operated on", or "received surgical treatment" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "undergo surgery" instead of "underwent surgery"?

No, "undergo surgery" is the base form, while ""underwent surgery"" is the past tense. Use "underwent surgery" when referring to a surgery that has already happened.

What's the difference between "underwent surgery" and "had surgery"?

"Underwent surgery" is a more formal way of saying "had surgery". Both are correct, but "underwent" is often preferred in medical or official contexts.