was operated

USAGE SUMMARY

"was operated" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an action that has been or is currently completed. For example, "The patient was operated on this morning."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was operated on yesterday.

The Guardian - Sport

Bautista was operated on in Philadelphia.

The New York Times - Sports

It was operated experimentally for a year.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The bus was operated by Designer Limo.

The New York Times

Barbaro was operated on the next day.

The New York Times - Sports

The plane was operated by a Taiwanese airline, TransAsia Airways.

The Guardian

The mess tent was operated entirely by Americans.

The New Yorker

Each home was operated by a separate company.

The New York Times

Florie was operated on the day after he was hit.

The New York Times - Sports

The bus was operated by Central Texas Trails of Waco.

The New York Times

The jet was operated by Comair, a South African airline.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical contexts, specify the conditions under which something "was operated". This enhances precision. For example, "The machine was operated at a temperature of 200 degrees."

Common error

Avoid using "was operated" when the active voice is more appropriate and direct. Instead of "The system was operated by the engineer", consider "The engineer operated the system".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was operated" functions as a passive verb construction. It indicates that the subject of the sentence received the action of operating, rather than performing it. Ludwig AI confirms this with examples of its usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

27%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was operated" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject received the action, not performed it. According to Ludwig AI, its grammatical correctness and frequency make it a standard and useful phrase. It's prevalent in science and news media, where objectivity is favored. When writing, prefer active voice when clarity requires emphasizing who performed the action; otherwise, "was operated" succinctly describes a completed process with focus on the receiver.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

underwent surgery

Focuses specifically on a surgical procedure.

was treated surgically

Highlights the method of treatment being surgical.

was put into service

Emphasizes the commencement of functionality or use.

was set in motion

Indicates the start of a process or action.

was made functional

Highlights the transformation to a working state.

was controlled

Highlights the aspect of being managed or directed.

was managed

Emphasizes the administrative aspect of operation.

was handled

Suggests a method of dealing with a situation or object.

was utilized

Highlights the use of something for a specific purpose.

was implemented

Focuses on the execution or application of a plan or system.

FAQs

How is "was operated" used in a sentence?

"Was operated" indicates a passive action, meaning something received the action rather than performed it. For example, "The equipment "was operated" remotely", or "The patient "was operated" on successfully".

What are some alternatives to "was operated"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "underwent surgery" (for medical contexts), "was controlled", or "was utilized". The best choice depends on the specific meaning you want to convey.

When should I use the active voice instead of "was operated"?

Use the active voice when you want to emphasize the actor or the person/thing performing the action. For example, instead of "The machine "was operated" by the technician", say "The technician operated the machine".

Is it always necessary to specify who or what performed the operation when using "was operated"?

No, it's not always necessary, but specifying can improve clarity. If the actor is unknown or unimportant, the passive voice with ""was operated"" is appropriate. Otherwise, using the active voice and specifying the actor is often preferable.