was ranked last

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'was ranked last' is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to indicate the lowest position in a list or ranking. For example: "In the class standings, he was ranked last with the lowest score of 50 points."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

After years of economic decline, Cleveland was ranked last by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2002 for support of entrepreneurship.

Huffington Post

Langer, who was the 22nd ranked player in the field of 24 ended up tied for 19th-22nd, while Gallant, who was ranked last, ended up in last place with 1.5 points out of 9. Airapetian, the No. 9 ranked player in the field of 10 ended up tied for 8th-9th, while Jamison, ranked last, ended up at the bottom, scoring only one draw with eight losses.

The New York Times

In 2010, the Manchester Local Education Authority was ranked last out of Greater Manchester's ten LEAs – and 147th out of 150 in the country LEAs – based on the percentage of pupils attaining at least five A grades at General Certificate of Secondary Education GCSEE) including maths and English (38.6 per cent compared with the national average of 50.7 per cent).

Wikipedia

Brees's recruiting class at Purdue was ranked last in the conference, but finished the 2000 season in the Rose Bowl.

The New York Times - Sports

In 2014, Armenia (who came fourth in the contest) was ranked last in the Azerbaijan televote, and by the Azeri jury.

The Telegraph

Phillips's goal before today's 4 p.m. trade deadline was to strengthen the offense, which was ranked last in the majors in nearly every major offensive category.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

In his Grand Slam debut in 1995, he was ranked 1,154th and defeated 65th-ranked David Prinosil in the first round of the United States Open.

The New York Times - Sports

Whilst the best SILE-ranked Arg-Glu-Gln tri-peptide was ranked 1423 out of 8000 in complex with ETS8 and an average ranking of 3729 (Table 7).

Journal of Cheminformatics

The F.R. Newman Arboretum was ranked last year as the most beautiful college arboretum in the country, according to Best College Reviews.

Cornell University

The company's founder and chief executive, Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, was ranked last year by Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News as the life science industry's third-wealthiest executive, based on the $1.13 billion worth of Regeneron stock he held.

The New York Times

Finland was ranked yesterday the happiest country in the world.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing for a more formal audience, consider using 'finished in last position' for variety.

Common error

Ensure that the verb "was" agrees with the subject. Avoid using "were ranked last" if the subject is singular.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was ranked last" functions as a passive verb phrase indicating the attainment of the lowest position in a ranking or evaluation. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically sound and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

24%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was ranked last" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate the lowest position in a ranking or competition. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its versatility allows it to appear in diverse contexts, including news, science, and general discussions. While the phrase is suitable for formal writing, consider using synonyms to provide variety. Ensure proper subject-verb agreement to avoid errors. By understanding the contexts, communicative purposes, and potential alternatives, you can effectively use the phrase "was ranked last" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Came in last place

This alternative is a common idiomatic expression, differing in structure while conveying the same meaning of achieving the lowest rank.

Placed last

A simpler, more concise alternative using the verb "placed" to describe final position.

Finished in last position

This phrase uses more formal vocabulary, replacing "ranked" with "finished" and "last" with "last position."

Ended up in last place

This version emphasizes the final result or conclusion of a process.

Held the lowest rank

This alternative shifts the focus to the act of holding a rank, using 'held' instead of 'was ranked'.

Occupied the bottom spot

This phrase employs a more metaphorical description, using "bottom spot" to indicate the lowest position.

Was the lowest-rated

Suitable when an explicit rating system is used to determine the final ranking.

Was at the bottom of the list

This option explicitly mentions a list, changing the structure but maintaining the meaning.

Achieved the worst ranking

This alternative focuses on the outcome of the ranking, using "achieved" and "worst" to emphasize the negative result.

Received the lowest score

This alternative is suited to contexts where scoring is involved instead of general rankings.

FAQs

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

Use "was ranked last" to indicate the lowest position in a list or ranking. For example: "The team "was ranked last" in the league due to their poor performance".

What are some alternatives to "was ranked last"?

You can use alternatives such as "came in last place", "finished in last position", or "placed last".

What does it mean when something "was ranked last"?

It means that the item, person, or group being discussed achieved the lowest position or score in a particular ranking or competition.

Is it appropriate to use "was ranked last" in formal writing?

Yes, "was ranked last" is appropriate for formal writing, but consider using synonyms like "finished in last position" for variety.