was bought

USAGE SUMMARY

"was bought" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, you could say: "The new car was bought last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It was bought in Paris.

The New Yorker

It was bought by UniCredito.

The Economist

It was bought immediately.

The New York Times - Books

Not Trusty Steed, since it was bought.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In 1987 CROMEMCO was bought by Dynatech.

Stanford University

Yet none of the Pakistanis was bought.

The New York Times

It was bought and it was sold.

The New York Times

Usually the vyaziga was bought dried.

The New Yorker

It was bought by AOL in 1999.

The New York Times

Company was bought by Starbucks in 2007.

The New York Times - Food

A plane ticket was bought and used.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was bought" in the passive voice when the receiver of the action is more important than the actor. For example, "The company was bought by a larger conglomerate" emphasizes the company's change of ownership.

Common error

Avoid using "bought" alone when you intend to use the passive voice. "The car bought yesterday" is incorrect; the correct form is "The car was bought yesterday."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was bought" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject received the action of being purchased. This construction shifts the focus from the buyer to the item or entity that was acquired. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

35%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was bought" is a grammatically sound passive construction used to emphasize that something has been acquired through purchase. Ludwig AI validates its widespread use across varied sources like news, scientific papers, and academic articles, suggesting its acceptance in both formal and informal writing. While "was bought" is frequently used and generally correct, remembering to use it in passive form and choosing synonyms like "was acquired" or "was purchased" can enhance writing precision and variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was purchased

Replaces "bought" with its more formal synonym "purchased", suitable for official or business contexts.

was acquired

Implies a more significant acquisition, often used for companies or assets rather than individual items.

was obtained

Suggests a general way of getting something, not necessarily through monetary transaction.

was secured

Highlights the effort or competition involved in acquiring something.

was invested in

Focuses on the financial aspect, indicating that money was spent for future returns or benefits.

was taken over

Describes a corporate acquisition where one company assumes control of another.

came into possession of

A more formal and legalistic way of saying something was acquired.

ownership was transferred to

Emphasizes the change of ownership, often used in legal or official settings.

was traded for

Highlights an exchange where something was given in return.

was bartered for

Indicates an exchange of goods or services without using money.

FAQs

How can I use "was bought" in a sentence?

Use "was bought" to indicate that something was acquired by someone. For instance, "The painting "was bought" at auction".

What's the difference between "was bought" and "bought"?

"Was bought" is in the passive voice, emphasizing the object that was purchased, while "bought" is in the active voice, focusing on the person or entity that made the purchase. Example: "The house "was bought" by them" (passive) vs. "They "bought" the house" (active).

Is "was boughten" a correct alternative to "was bought"?

No, "was boughten" is not a standard or correct form. The past participle of "buy" is "bought", so "was bought" is the correct passive form.

What are some alternatives to using "was bought" to describe an acquisition?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "was acquired", "was purchased", or "was obtained" to convey similar meanings.