we had secured

USAGE SUMMARY

"we had secured" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe something that had previously been obtained or achieved. For example: "We had secured the funding for the project before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

"The NYPD asked the security agent in charge whether we had secured permits allowing us to place a red carpet on the sidewalk and to build a curbside tent, and we stated that we did," explained Mario Ruiz, Huffington Post Media Group's vice president of communications.

Huffington Post

We had secured Basra.

The New Yorker

And we had secured a pay rise.

The Guardian

The farmer was a friend whose permission we had secured.

The New York Times - Travel

"It was so intense," says Goodman. "It was the first time we had secured funding and it all just crumbled".

The Guardian

I indicated that recently we had secured cooperation with the Soviet zone in one matter and with the British in another.

Yale University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

We have secured some weapons from Turkey.

The Guardian

We have secured space at a nearby hotel, the Sheraton Commander Hotel.

Harvard University

"We've secured all our drilling operations on contract rigs.

The New York Times

Since 1998 we have secured the release of more than 100,000 children.

Independent

"Since we've been focusing on this program, we have secured quite a few items.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we had secured" to clearly indicate that a goal was achieved or something was obtained in the past. It's useful for reports, narratives, and explanations where past actions have present relevance.

Common error

Avoid using "we had secured" when you mean "we will secure". "We had secured" refers to a completed action in the past, whereas "we will secure" refers to a future action. Ensure you're using the correct tense to accurately convey when the securing took place or will take place.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we had secured" functions as a past perfect verb phrase, indicating a completed action before another point in the past. As shown in Ludwig AI, this often involves obtaining resources, agreements, or positions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we had secured" is a past perfect verb phrase used to describe actions that were completed before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms it's considered grammatically correct and commonly used in various contexts. It is especially frequent in News & Media and Academic writing to report past achievements. While the phrase is generally neutral, it is useful to specify accomplishments and provide context. Remember to use it accurately to avoid tense confusion. Instead of "we had secured", you can use alternatives like "we ensured", "we attained", or "we obtained".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we obtained

Focuses on the act of gaining or acquiring something, which is a core aspect of securing.

we ensured

Focuses on the act of making something certain or guaranteed, slightly broader than securing.

we guaranteed

Emphasizes the assurance or promise of achieving something.

we made certain

Highlights the action taken to ensure a specific outcome.

we attained

Highlights the achievement or reaching of a goal.

we clinched

Suggests a more competitive or decisive achievement of securing something.

we finalized

Implies completing a process to make something secure or definite.

we locked in

Informal term suggesting a firm and unchangeable securing of something.

we arranged

Indicates that steps were taken to organize and secure something, often in a more planned manner.

we protected

Focuses specifically on the aspect of safeguarding or keeping something safe.

FAQs

How can I use "we had secured" in a sentence?

Use "we had secured" to indicate that your group or organization had successfully obtained or ensured something by a specific point in the past. For example, "We had secured the necessary permits before construction began."

What is a more formal alternative to "we had secured"?

A more formal alternative could be "we ensured" or "we attained". For instance, instead of "we had secured funding", you could say "we ensured funding" or "we attained funding".

How does "we had secured" differ from "we secured"?

"We secured" implies that the action of securing occurred recently or at an unspecified time in the past. "We had secured" indicates the action was completed before another point in time, emphasizing a sequence of events.

Can "we had secured" be used in future tense?

No, "we had secured" is past perfect tense and cannot be used to describe future events. To describe future events, use "we will secure" or "we are going to secure".