was down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was down" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
One common usage of "was down" is to describe a decrease or decline in something. For example: - Sales were down for the company last quarter. - The stock market was down for the third day in a row. - The temperature was down to freezing this morning. Another way "was down" can be used is to describe something that is not functioning properly or is unavailable. For example: - The website was down for maintenance. - My phone battery was down to 10%. - The elevator was down, so we had to take the stairs. Here's an example sentence that combines both usages: "We were worried when we saw that attendance was down at the event and the sound system was down, but thankfully the keynote speaker's microphone still worked perfectly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Singapore was down 8%.

The Economist

Jim was down, hard.

The New York Times

Poverty was down.

The New York Times

What was down?

The New York Times - Arts

The Internet was down.

The New York Times

The A.T.M. was down.

The New Yorker

Advertising was down.

The New Yorker

Construction was down 2.5 percent.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, Yahoo's revenue was down.

The New York Times - Tech

"Hekmatyar was down the road".

The New Yorker

Revenue was down 4.4 percent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was down" to describe a system or service, specify the duration or impact of the downtime for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "was down" without specifying what was down. Providing specific details enhances clarity. For example, instead of saying "The system was down", specify "The payment processing system was down for two hours."

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "was down" is to act as a predicate adjective, describing the state of a noun or subject. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates that something experienced a decrease or was non-functional. For example, "The market was down" indicates the market's condition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was down" is a versatile phrase primarily used to describe a decline in something or the non-operational status of a system or service. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently encountered in news, business, and technical contexts. To ensure clarity, always specify what "was down" and provide relevant details. While direct and commonly understood, consider using more formal alternatives like "experienced a decline" or "was not operational" in certain settings. The frequent use of this phrase in authoritative sources like The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Economist underscores its widespread acceptance and applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not operational

Specifically indicates a state of being out of service or not functioning.

was inoperable

More formal and technical term for being out of service.

experienced a decline

Focuses on the process of decreasing rather than the state.

was malfunctioning

Implies a problem with how something is working.

underwent a decrease

Focuses on the process of something reducing.

registered a decrease

Emphasizes the measurement of reduction.

suffered a setback

Highlights a temporary negative change or obstacle.

showed a reduction

Similar to 'registered a decrease' but slightly less formal.

was underperforming

Highlights a failure to meet expected standards or goals.

was feeling low

Shifts the context to emotional state, indicating sadness or depression.

FAQs

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

You can use "was down" to indicate a decrease in something, like "Sales "were down" this quarter". It can also mean something is not working, as in "The website "was down" for maintenance".

What's a more formal way to say "was down"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "experienced a decline", "registered a decrease", or "was not operational" for a more formal tone.

Is it grammatically correct to say "was down"?

Yes, "was down" is grammatically correct. It's a common way to express that something has decreased or is not functioning properly, as Ludwig AI also confirms.

What's the difference between "was down" and "is down"?

"Was down" indicates a past state of being decreased or non-functional, while "is down" indicates a current state. For example, "The server was down yesterday" vs. "The server is down right now".