was incurred

USAGE SUMMARY

"was incurred" is a perfectly correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is used when describing the occurrence of a cost or loss. Example: The company incurred a high penalty for non-compliance with regulations.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No additional debt was incurred".

The New York Times - Sports

This is typical of how Africa's unpayable debt was incurred.

The Economist

Much of this debt was incurred buying companies.

The Economist

Much of that was incurred by Rio Tinto's 2007 purchase of Alcan, Alcan Packaging's Canadian parent.

The New York Times

Further damage was incurred during the Iraq war, started in 2003.

The New York Times - Science

The JPMorgan loss was incurred in its London office, which doesn't lessen the effect here.

The New York Times

Our federal government should also require that every illegal immigrant's native country repay us monetarily for whatever debt was incurred.

The New York Times

Feinstein's office said most of the cost was incurred by the CIA in trying to hide its record.

The Guardian

About £19bn of the £25bn was incurred in 2012, when, McCormick said, "payment protection insurance provision came home to roost".

The Guardian - Business

This was incurred by Aventis when ProStraken sold its Proskelia business - originally bought from Aventis - to Galapagos in 2006.

The Guardian - Business

The Kremlin's wrath was incurred specifically by a giant bronze statue of Mr Putin dressed in a judo outfit (he likes to dabble in the occasional martial arts).

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was incurred", ensure the subject clearly identifies who or what experienced the cost, loss, or responsibility. For example, "The company incurred significant losses" is clearer than "Significant losses was incurred."

Common error

Avoid using "was incurred" with a plural subject. "Were incurred" is appropriate for plural subjects. For example, it's correct to say "Significant losses were incurred" instead of "Significant losses was incurred."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was incurred" functions as a passive verb phrase. Ludwig AI examples show that it describes the action of experiencing a cost, loss, damage, or debt, placing the focus on the outcome rather than the actor.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

44%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was incurred" is a grammatically sound and frequently used passive verb phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's commonly used to describe the experience of costs, losses, debts, or damages. It appears most frequently in news, media and scientific contexts, with a generally neutral to formal register. To use it effectively, remember to maintain subject-verb agreement and ensure the subject clearly identifies who or what is bearing the consequence. By avoiding common errors and understanding its proper application, you can confidently incorporate "was incurred" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

resulted from

Emphasizes that something is a direct consequence or outcome of a preceding action or event.

came about

Focuses on the occurrence or emergence of something, emphasizing the process of it happening.

stemmed from

Emphasizes the origin or root cause of something, suggesting a more indirect relationship.

arose from

Highlights the origin or cause of something, suggesting that it originated from a particular source or event.

accrued through

Highlights the accumulation of something over time, often referring to debts or benefits.

was sustained

Indicates that something, often negative like damage or injury, was experienced or suffered.

was subjected to

Suggests that someone or something was made to undergo a particular experience, often unpleasant or unwanted.

was exposed to

Highlights the act of being placed in a situation where something could happen or have an effect.

was burdened with

Implies that someone or something had to bear a particular responsibility or difficulty.

was liable for

Indicates legal or financial responsibility for something.

FAQs

How do I use "was incurred" in a sentence?

"Was incurred" is used to indicate that something, typically a cost, debt, or loss, has been acquired or experienced. For example: "The debt "was incurred" due to unforeseen expenses."

What are some alternatives to using "was incurred"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "came about", "resulted from", or "was subjected to" as alternatives to "was incurred".

Is it better to use "was incurred" or "were incurred"?

Use "was incurred" with singular nouns and "were incurred" with plural nouns. For example, "The cost was incurred" and "The debts were incurred" are both grammatically correct.

What's the difference between "was incurred" and "was accrued"?

"Was incurred" suggests that something happened or was experienced, while "was accrued" implies a gradual accumulation over time. So "The expense was incurred" suggests a one-time event, but "The interest "was accrued"" suggests it built up slowly.