was disposed of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was disposed of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used when referring to the disposal of an object or material, and can also be used to indicate getting rid of something in a final or dramatic way. For example, "The destroyed car was disposed of and taken away."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

However, the roast-duck business, an incidental acquisition, was disposed of long ago in 1994.

The Economist

For this, she was disposed of as human chattel, herded onto a converted slave ship and punished with imprisonment, seven years forced labor, and exile for life.

Huffington Post

This formed an aluminum chloride solution that was disposed of, as it was highly radioactive due to iron and copper in the aluminum alloy.

Wikipedia

He was disposed of late last year".

The New York Times - Sports

During the Thatcher era over 50% of it was disposed of at well below market rates.

The Guardian - Opinion

Speaking to The Associated Press, Watanabe said: "Ferdinand was disposed of during last year.

The New York Times - Sports

Clarissa was lovely & Leander loved her; they hoped for a good life together after the baby was disposed of.

The New Yorker

The corpse — if you could call it that — was disposed of with the rest of the medical waste.

The New Yorker

Most of the Windsors' valuable property was disposed of after the Duchess's death, in 1987, or the Duke's, in 1972.

The New Yorker

The powder that was already packaged — a small amount — was disposed of, according to a person briefed on the matter.

The New York Times

But few — including city officials — knew where the trash was taken or, after landfills opened, how it was disposed of.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was disposed of", ensure the context clearly indicates what was being disposed of and the method or location of disposal, as in "The contaminated waste was disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by clearly stating who or what performed the action of disposing. Instead of "The evidence was disposed of", specify "The police was disposed of the evidence."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was disposed of" functions as a passive verb construction, indicating that an object or entity has been eliminated or discarded by an unspecified actor. Ludwig AI confirms this usage in numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

36%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was disposed of" is a commonly used passive construction indicating the act of eliminating or discarding something. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent appearance in diverse sources like news, science, and wiki articles. While the phrase is generally neutral to formal, its clarity can be enhanced by specifying the agent when possible. Related phrases include "was discarded" and "was eliminated". Overall, "was disposed of" is a versatile phrase with a wide range of applications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was discarded

Focuses specifically on the act of throwing something away as useless or unwanted.

was eliminated

Implies complete removal, often of something problematic or unnecessary.

was gotten rid of

A more informal way to express the removal or disposal of something.

was removed

Suggests a physical removal from a specific location or situation.

was cleared away

Emphasizes the act of making a space tidy by removing something.

was taken away

Focuses on the physical act of transporting something elsewhere.

was handled

Highlights the process of dealing with something, often in a specific manner.

was taken care of

Indicates that something was dealt with responsibly and effectively.

was cleared out

Highlights the removal of contents from a space.

was done away with

Implies a deliberate act of ending or eliminating something.

FAQs

What does "was disposed of" mean?

The phrase "was disposed of" means that something has been eliminated, discarded, or gotten rid of in some way. The action of disposal has already occurred.

What can I say instead of "was disposed of"?

You can use alternatives like "was discarded", "was eliminated", or "was removed" depending on the context.

Is it better to use active or passive voice when describing how something was discarded?

While "was disposed of" (passive voice) is correct, using the active voice (e.g., "they disposed of") can often make your writing more direct and clear, especially when it's important to know who performed the action.

What's the difference between "was disposed of" and "was discarded"?

"Was disposed of" is a general term for getting rid of something. "Was discarded" specifically implies that something was thrown away because it was unwanted or useless.