was founded by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was founded by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the person or organization responsible for establishing something, such as a company, institution, or movement. Example: "The university was founded by a group of scholars in the early 20th century."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Darktrace was founded by Cambridge mathematicians.

The Economist

The TDP was founded by one.

The Economist

Instagram was founded by Stanford graduates.

The New Yorker

Utah was founded by Mormons.

The New York Times

The Progeria Research Foundation was founded by his parents.

Independent

It was founded by my mother's family".

The New Yorker

The company was founded by S.I.

The New York Times

Liberia was founded by freed American slaves.

The New York Times

The NHS was founded by a Welshman.

The Guardian - Opinion

TLC was founded by a Canadian doctor.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Bright Pink was founded by--Lindsay Avner.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was founded by", ensure the subject clearly identifies the entity being established, and the object specifies the founder(s). For example, "The company was founded by two college students."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by clearly specifying who the founder is. Incorrect: "The project was founded by the community's needs." Correct: "The project was founded by a group of community members in response to the community's needs."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was founded by" functions as a passive construction used to indicate the origin or establishment of an entity. It connects the entity (subject) to its creator or founder (object), as demonstrated in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was founded by" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to denote the origin or establishment of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for a wide variety of contexts, primarily appearing in news, encyclopedias, and scientific articles. While alternatives like "was established by" or "was created by" exist, "was founded by" remains a clear and common choice for indicating the founder(s) of an entity. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in identifying both the entity and its founder(s) to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was established by

Replaces 'founded' with a synonym 'established', keeping the passive voice and meaning intact.

was created by

Substitutes 'founded' with 'created', emphasizing the act of bringing something into existence.

was initiated by

Emphasizes the start or beginning of something, similar to founding.

was originated by

Focuses on the origin or source of something, comparable to its founding.

owes its origins to

Shifts the sentence structure to highlight the source to which something is indebted for its beginning.

was pioneered by

Suggests an innovative or groundbreaking element in the founding.

had its genesis in

A more formal way to indicate the beginning or origin of something.

stems from

Implies that something developed or originated from a particular source or cause.

was the brainchild of

Indicates that someone conceived the idea and brought it into being.

is attributed to

Attributes the creation or founding to a specific person or entity.

FAQs

How can I use "was founded by" in a sentence?

Use "was founded by" to indicate who established an organization, company, or institution. For instance, "The charity "was founded by" a group of philanthropists".

What's a more formal alternative to "was founded by"?

A more formal alternative is "was established by". Example: "The institute was established by a royal decree".

Is it correct to say "was found by" instead of "was founded by"?

No, "was found by" has a different meaning, implying something was discovered, not established. Use ""was founded by"" to indicate establishment.

What's the difference between "was founded by" and "was co-founded by"?

"Was founded by" indicates the sole founder, while "was co-founded by" indicates multiple founders. For example, "The startup "was co-founded by" two engineers".