were bought for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were bought for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the purchase of items or services for a specific purpose or recipient. Example: "The gifts were bought for the children's charity event to ensure every child received something special."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Some were bought for me.

The New York Times

"All the pictures were bought for prospective clients".

The New York Times - Arts

The shares were bought for investment purposes, the filing said.

The New York Times

About half of them were bought for $40 each.

The New York Times

And a surprising number of the games were bought for adult women.

The New York Times

His were bought for twenty-nine cents in Arkansas in 1967.

The New Yorker

The microproperties were bought for inclusion in something called "Reality Properties: Fake Estates".

The New York Times

Six years ago, two pizzas were bought for 10,000 bitcoin.

The Guardian - Money

Of this number just 450,000 were bought for more than £18.

The Guardian - Business

Smalling and Jones were bought for a combined fee of £31m.

Independent

Suits were bought for some business students and their timekeeping has improved dramatically ever since.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were bought for", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what benefited from the purchase. This adds clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "were bought for" when an active voice would be clearer and more direct. For example, instead of "The books were bought for the students", consider "The school bought the books for the students" if the school is the important actor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were bought for" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject received something as a result of a purchase made by someone else. Ludwig AI examples show usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Science

2%

Reference

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were bought for" is a grammatically sound and frequently used passive construction to indicate the purpose or recipient of a purchase. Ludwig AI confirms its broad applicability across different registers and contexts, predominantly in news and media. For more formal writing, consider using "were purchased for", but ensure clarity about who or what benefited from the purchase. While generally neutral, be mindful of whether an active voice would be more direct and impactful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were purchased for

Synonymous, replacing 'bought' with the more formal 'purchased'.

were acquired for

Implies a more formal or strategic acquisition rather than a simple purchase.

were obtained for

Suggests a broader means of getting something, not necessarily through direct purchase.

were procured for

Highlights the process of obtaining something, often through specific channels or efforts.

were secured for

Emphasizes the effort or competition involved in getting the items.

were designated for

The resources were officially assigned or allocated.

were reserved for

These were specifically kept aside or allocated for something.

were gotten for

An informal alternative, using 'gotten' instead of 'bought'.

were earmarked for

Highlights that the items or funds were specifically designated for a certain purpose before the purchase.

were intended for

Focuses on the intended purpose or recipient, regardless of the method of acquisition.

FAQs

How can I use "were bought for" in a sentence?

Use "were bought for" to indicate the purpose or recipient of a purchase. For example, "The supplies were bought for the school project" or "The tickets were bought for my family".

What's a more formal alternative to "were bought for"?

A more formal alternative is "were purchased for". This substitutes "bought" with the more formal "purchased", which is suitable for professional or academic writing.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "were bought for"?

While "were bought for" is grammatically correct, using the active voice can sometimes make your sentence more direct. For example, instead of "The gifts were bought for the children", you could say "We bought the gifts for the children".

What is the difference between "were bought for" and "were acquired for"?

"Were bought for" implies a direct purchase, while "were acquired for" can encompass a broader range of means of obtaining something, including purchases, trades, or gifts.