we faced

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we faced" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe challenges, difficulties, or situations that a group has encountered. Example: "During the project, we faced numerous obstacles that tested our team's resilience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Then we faced reality".

The New York Times

Once inside, we faced a frenzy.

The New York Times

And here we faced a conundrum.

The New York Times - Travel

"We faced a dilemma," the official said.

The New York Times

Again, we faced an embarrassment of choices.

The New York Times - Travel

As Christians, he said, we faced marginalization.

The New York Times

We faced that danger together.

The New York Times

"We faced a difficult dilemma.

The New York Times

"We faced lots of problems.

The Guardian

We faced air strikes, shelling.

The New Yorker

"We faced so many dangers," Zari says.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we faced" to clearly indicate a collective experience of encountering challenges, obstacles, or specific situations. It's effective for conveying a sense of shared experience and resilience within a group.

Common error

Avoid overusing "we faced" in overly passive constructions that obscure agency. Instead of "the decision we faced was difficult", opt for "we faced a difficult decision", which places the focus on the active experience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we faced" functions as a verbal phrase used to indicate the experience of encountering a challenge, difficulty, or situation. Ludwig examples illustrate its use across different contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "we faced" is a versatile and commonly used expression to describe the experience of encountering challenges, difficulties, or specific situations. As Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically correct and widely applicable in written English. Its function is primarily to describe past experiences and convey a sense of shared encounter, often with neutral register which fits in the contexts of news, media, science and business communications. Alternative phrasing includes "we encountered", "we experienced", and "we confronted", offering nuanced ways to express the same general idea. When using this phrase, it’s best practice to make it active rather than passive and make sure that all the meanings are well written.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we encountered

This alternative replaces "faced" with "encountered", emphasizing the act of coming across a challenge or situation.

we experienced

Using "experienced" instead of "faced" highlights the personal or collective undergoing of a particular situation or difficulty.

we confronted

Replacing "faced" with "confronted" adds a sense of direct engagement or dealing head-on with a problem.

we dealt with

This alternative suggests a process of managing or handling challenges as they arose.

we addressed

This emphasizes the act of focusing on and taking steps to resolve the issues.

we tackled

Implies a more energetic and determined approach to dealing with the difficulties.

we combatted

This alternative suggests actively fighting against challenges or obstacles.

we struggled with

Highlights the difficulty and effort involved in dealing with a situation.

we had to contend with

This phrase indicates that dealing with the situation was unavoidable or necessary.

we ran into

Suggests encountering difficulties unexpectedly or incidentally.

FAQs

How can I use "we faced" in a sentence?

The phrase "we faced" is used to describe a situation or challenge that a group or team encountered. For example, "We faced numerous obstacles during the project."

What can I say instead of "we faced"?

You can use alternatives like "we encountered", "we experienced", or "we confronted" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "we faced a challenge" or "a challenge was faced by us"?

The active voice construction, "we faced a challenge", is generally preferred because it is more direct and clearer than the passive voice construction, "a challenge was faced by us".

What's the difference between "we faced" and "we avoided"?

"We faced" indicates that a challenge or difficulty was encountered and dealt with, while "we avoided" suggests that a challenge was successfully evaded or prevented. For example, "We faced a budget cut" versus "We avoided a budget cut".