was recently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was recently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happened not long ago in the past. Example: "The report was recently published, providing new insights into the study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The bathroom was recently renovated.

The New York Times

He was recently in Dakar.

The New Yorker

It was recently taken down.

The New York Times

That system was recently binned.

The Economist

The chimney was recently updated.

The New York Times

Charles was recently divorced.

The New Yorker

It was recently renovated.

The New York Times - Travel

He was recently reinstated.

The New York Times

It was recently reintroduced.

The New York Times

(Roberts was recently promoted to co-anchor).

The New Yorker

NBC was recently acquired by Comcast.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was recently" to clearly indicate that an event or action occurred in the near past, providing a sense of recency and relevance to the current context.

Common error

Avoid overusing "was recently" in close proximity within your writing, as it can make your text sound repetitive. Vary your language by using synonyms like "just", "lately", or rephrasing the sentence to convey the same meaning without the phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was recently" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating the timing of an action or event in the near past. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts, similar to the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was recently" is a grammatically correct and very commonly used phrase to indicate that something occurred in the near past. Ludwig AI analysis of numerous examples from authoritative sources, like The New York Times and The Economist, confirms its widespread use in news, science, and formal business contexts. While versatile, it's best to avoid overuse and vary your language with synonyms like "just" or "lately". Keep in mind that "was recently" is often used in the passive voice. The neutral register makes it suitable for various writing styles, adding a sense of recency and relevance to your statements.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was just

A shorter, more casual way of saying something happened very recently.

has just happened

Indicates the event has been completed very shortly before the present.

happened lately

Focuses on the occurrence of the event in the immediate past.

occurred just now

Emphasizes the immediacy of the event, suggesting it happened very shortly before the present.

took place shortly before

Highlights that the event happened a small amount of time before the present moment.

transpired not long ago

Uses more formal language to indicate the event happened in the recent past.

emerged recently

Implies something new has come to light in the near past.

developed lately

Suggests a process or situation has unfolded in the recent past.

surfaced newly

Highlights the novelty and recent appearance of something.

arose lately

Indicates something has come into being or started in the recent past.

FAQs

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

Use "was recently" to indicate that something occurred in the near past. For example, "The house "was recently renovated"", or "He "was recently promoted" to senior manager".

What are some alternatives to "was recently"?

You can use alternatives like "just happened", "lately", or "not long ago" to express that something occurred in the near past. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "has recently" instead of "was recently"?

The choice between "has recently" and "was recently" depends on the context. "Has recently" is used with present perfect tense (e.g., "He has recently completed the project"), while "was recently" is used with passive voice (e.g., "The project "was recently completed"").

What's the difference between "was recently" and "happened recently"?

"Happened recently" emphasizes the occurrence of an event, while "was recently" often implies a state or condition resulting from a recent action. For example, "The accident happened recently" focuses on the event, whereas "The road was recently repaired" focuses on the state of the road after the repair.