was recently bought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was recently bought" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was purchased not long ago, often in contexts discussing ownership or transactions. Example: "The company was recently bought by a larger corporation, which has led to many changes in management."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Fahnestock, and was recently bought by Randon House.

The New Yorker

The Source was recently bought up and liquidated by Compuserve.

Columbia University

The unit directly above mine was recently bought and renovated.

The New York Times

The series was recently bought up by Sky Arts.

The Guardian

This club-manufacturing plant was recently bought by a Japanese conglomerate, but still bears his name.

The New York Times - Sports

It was recently bought by an affiliate of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and taken private.

The New York Times

But Mr. Kirkpatrick's book was recently bought for the movies, so one will be made soon.

The New York Times - Books

WICC was recently bought by an Atlanta company, which uses sophisticated market research.

The New York Times

A pristine Royal typewriter was recently bought here for the obscenely low price of $35.

The New York Times - Travel

Still, Semlevo's old collective farm is considered lucky: it was recently bought by a businesswoman from Moscow.

The Economist

The latest marketer to join the trend is Zappos, the online retailer that was recently bought by Amazon.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was recently bought", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what did the buying. Providing this information enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "was recently bought" when the recency is not relevant to the main point. If the timing of the purchase doesn't matter, simply state that it "was bought".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was recently bought" functions as a passive voice construction indicating a completed action of purchasing. As noted by Ludwig AI, this formation is grammatically sound and commonly used. It emphasizes the object that underwent the action rather than the actor.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was recently bought" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a recent change in ownership. According to Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media, but also in formal business and academic settings. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying who or what did the buying. Some alternatives, like "was recently acquired", can add a more formal tone if needed. Avoid overusing "recently" if the timing isn't essential to the message. All of this ensures your writing is both accurate and impactful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was newly purchased

Replaces "bought" with "purchased" and "recently" with "newly", emphasizing the newness of the purchase.

was just acquired

Uses "acquired" instead of "bought", focusing on the formal acquisition process.

has been bought in recent times

Adds some emphasis to the timing of the purchase.

was freshly obtained

Emphasizes the newness of obtaining something, which implies a recent purchase.

was lately secured

Highlights the act of securing something recently, suggesting a purchase or acquisition.

changed hands recently

Expresses the change in ownership more figuratively, focusing on the transfer of possession.

was under new ownership recently

Highlights the new owner instead of just focusing on the purchasing action.

was transferred recently

Focuses on the action of something being transferred in ownership.

saw a change in ownership recently

Shifts the sentence structure to be about the change, rather than what was bought.

was taken over in recent times

This emphasizes control over the thing that was bought.

FAQs

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

Use "was recently bought" to indicate that something has been purchased in the near past. For example, "The company was recently bought by a larger corporation".

What's a formal alternative to "was recently bought"?

A more formal alternative is "was recently acquired", which is often used in business contexts.

Is it better to say "was recently bought" or "was recently purchased"?

"was recently purchased" is a slightly more formal synonym, but both are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. The choice depends on the context and desired tone.

What does "was recently bought" imply about the time frame?

The term "recently" is relative, but generally implies within the last few months. It indicates a timeframe that is close enough to still be relevant or impactful.