was ranked

USAGE SUMMARY

"was ranked" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to describe the relative ranking of something or someone among its peers. Example: In a recent survey, John was ranked the most popular candidate in the election.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In Zagat's 2007 Global Airlines Survey, the airline was ranked #1 among U.S. carriers for quality in First/Business Class.

Huffington Post

In 2012, San Francisco was ranked #1 among America's Best Baseball cities.

Wikipedia

The true HSE-causing gene for this patient, TICAM1 (TRIF), was ranked #1 among the 284 genes.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Intel, with a market value of $596 million, was ranked 302 among the 500 most valuable U.S. corporations in 1977.

Forbes

It was ranked 41 among the Top 50 Engineering Schools of the world by America's news broadcasting firm Business Insider in 2012 and was the only university in the list from the five emerging BRICS nations viz Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Wikipedia

For instance, in the 2014 issue of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges", UCR was ranked 112th among national universities; criteria include professor peer assessment, student selectivity and retention, as well as faculty resources, financial resources, and alumni giving.

Wikipedia

It is ranked 11,766 among Amazon's roughly 90,000 video titles.

The New York Times

The Scarlet Knights are ranked 103rd among 117 Division I-A teams in total offense and 101st in total defense.

The New York Times - Sports

Rafalski and Gomez are ranked 1-2 among the league's rookies in the plus-minus rating with Rafalski plus-21 and Gomez plus-20.

The New York Times - Sports

Storrie, who turned 16 in February, is ranked No4 among 18-year-olds in talent-rich California – despite being allowed to compete in barely more than a handful of applicable tournaments.

The Guardian - Sport

C1 Fox: No Longer an Underdog Having presented Fox News as the underdog since its inception, network executives acknowledge that such a tactic becomes trickier when the network is ranked No.1 among cable news channels.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was ranked", ensure that the criteria and context of the ranking are clear to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify who conducted the ranking and what factors were considered.

Common error

Avoid using "was ranked" without providing context about the ranking system or criteria. This can lead to confusion and make the statement less meaningful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was ranked" functions as a passive verb phrase, indicating that the subject received a specific position within a defined order. This is used to convey an assessment or classification previously made by an external source. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was ranked" functions as a passive verb construction, used to denote the position or standing of a subject within a defined order or list. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is grammatically sound and acceptable in written English. It is commonly found in news and media, Wikipedia articles, and scientific publications, where objective assessments are required. When employing this phrase, it's vital to provide context regarding the ranking criteria to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "placed", "rated", and "classified as", which can be selected based on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

placed

A simpler and more direct way of stating that something was given a particular rank or position.

rated

A more concise way of saying something was ranked. It changes "was ranked" to a single verb.

achieved a ranking of

Emphasizes the accomplishment of reaching a particular rank, rather than just stating the rank itself.

held a position

Emphasizes the holding of a specific rank or place, shifting focus from the act of ranking to the state of holding the rank.

stood at

Focuses on the numerical representation of the rank. Changes the verb to "stood" from "was ranked".

listed at

Emphasizes the presence of something on a list at a specific rank. Changes the verb and adds "on a list".

occupied a spot

Highlights the occupation of a certain position in a list or hierarchy, differing in lexical choice but retaining the core meaning.

assessed as

Focuses on the evaluation process that resulted in the ranking. The term changes to "assessed" from "ranked".

stood in the rankings

Changes the focus to the overall rankings rather than the specific rank achieved. It also changes the verb to "stood".

classified as

Highlights the process of categorization or classification that leads to the ranking, rather than the rank itself.

FAQs

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

You can use "was ranked" to describe the position of something in a list or hierarchy, such as "The university "was ranked" among the top 10 in the nation".

What is a good alternative to "was ranked"?

Alternatives to "was ranked" include "placed", "rated", or "classified as", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "was ranked" or "is ranked"?

"Was ranked" refers to a past ranking, while "is ranked" refers to a current ranking. For example, "The team "was ranked" first last year" (past) versus "The team "is ranked" first this year" (present).

What does it mean when something "was ranked"?

When something "was ranked", it means it was assigned a specific position in an ordered list based on certain criteria. This position reflects its relative standing compared to others in the same category.