were acquired by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were acquired by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was obtained or purchased by someone or some entity in the past. Example: "The company assets were acquired by a larger corporation during the merger."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were acquired by 1997.

Columbia University

Both companies were acquired by Microsoft.

The New York Times

Images were acquired by Leica DMRA microscopy.

Nature

Indent topographies were acquired by confocal microscopy.

Acta Materialia

Data and information were acquired by questionnaires.

Procedia Manufacturing

Other significant Southeast Asian collections were acquired by Conklin's students.

Yale University

The rights were acquired by Bantam Books for $3.2 million.

The New Yorker

Data about thickness were acquired by Calotest® measurements.

Surface and Coatings Technology

The antiquities were acquired by the British Museum in 1816.

The Guardian - Arts

The vast majority, however, were acquired by utilities.

The Economist

In 1844, they were acquired by the British Museum.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were acquired by" in the passive voice to emphasize the entity that gained ownership or control, rather than the original owner. This is particularly useful in business and historical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "were acquired by" when the active voice is more appropriate. For example, instead of "The company were acquired by Microsoft", use "Microsoft acquired the company" for a more direct and impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were acquired by" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence underwent a change of ownership or possession. Ludwig examples show its prevalent use in describing corporate mergers, historical acquisitions, and scientific data collection.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

39%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were acquired by" is a grammatically sound and commonly used passive construction to describe the transfer of ownership or possession. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Predominantly found in Science, News & Media, and Academia, it serves the communicative purpose of conveying factual information about acquisitions. Alternatives include "were purchased by" and "were obtained by", offering subtle nuances in meaning. When writing, remember to favor the active voice when more appropriate and consider the context to ensure the passive voice construction is fitting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were purchased by

Indicates a transaction where something was bought; emphasizes the financial aspect of the acquisition.

were obtained by

Suggests gaining possession, but doesn't necessarily imply a purchase; can refer to any means of acquiring something.

were taken over by

Implies a more forceful or strategic acquisition, where one entity gains control of another.

were bought out by

Specifically indicates that ownership was transferred through the purchase of shares or assets.

were procured by

More formal and suggests that the acquisition was the result of careful effort or planning.

were secured by

Emphasizes the effort and strategy involved in obtaining something.

came into the possession of

A more verbose way of indicating ownership transfer, suitable for formal contexts.

were attained by

Suggests achieving ownership through effort or competition.

were appropriated by

Implies a formal or official acquisition, often by a government or organization.

were assumed by

Suggests taking on ownership or responsibility, often in a formal or legal context.

FAQs

How can I use "were acquired by" in a sentence?

The phrase "were acquired by" is used to indicate that something was obtained or purchased by a particular entity. For example, "The startup's assets "were acquired by" a larger corporation during the merger".

What are some alternatives to "were acquired by"?

You can use alternatives such as "were purchased by", "were obtained by", or "were taken over by" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "was acquired by" instead of "were acquired by"?

The correct usage depends on whether the subject is singular or plural. Use "was acquired by" for a singular subject (e.g., "The company was acquired by Google") and "were acquired by" for a plural subject (e.g., "The assets were acquired by the firm").

What is the difference between "were acquired by" and "acquired"?

"Were acquired by" is in the passive voice, emphasizing the recipient of the acquisition. "Acquired" is in the active voice, emphasizing the entity doing the acquiring. For example, "The company was acquired by Microsoft" (passive) versus "Microsoft acquired the company" (active).