were disqualified

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were disqualified" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where individuals or teams are removed from a competition or event due to not meeting certain criteria or rules. Example: "The athletes were disqualified from the race after failing the drug test."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Three were disqualified, six did not finish.

Independent

Karen Stupples and Pam Wright were disqualified.

The New York Times - Sports

The Dominican Republic and Venezuela were disqualified.

The Guardian - Sport

Kenya were disqualified, while South Africa have lodged an appeal.

The Guardian - Sport

Some jurors were disqualified on more than one ground.

The New York Times

"We need to fight for those athletes who were disqualified".

The Guardian - Sport

In the end, 15 of the 16 bids were disqualified.

The Guardian

The Brazilian team were disqualified as a result.

The Guardian - Sport

Eventually, all three were disqualified on various grounds.

The New Yorker

On Tuesday they were disqualified for false starts.

The New York Times - Sports

They refused and were disqualified from the competition.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were disqualified" when you want to emphasize a formal removal from a competition, election, or other event due to a violation of rules or ineligibility.

Common error

Avoid using "was disqualified" when referring to multiple subjects. "Were" is the correct plural form of the past tense of "to be".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were disqualified" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject received the action of being disqualified. As shown in Ludwig, the phrase indicates that a person or group of people has been deemed ineligible or has had their participation revoked.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were disqualified" is a common and grammatically sound passive voice construction used to indicate that someone or something has been removed from a competition or deemed ineligible. According to Ludwig AI, it is most frequently found in news and media contexts, but also appears in scientific and formal business writing. Alternative phrases include "were excluded" or "were deemed ineligible". Remember to use "were" with plural subjects and "was" with singular subjects.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were deemed ineligible

Emphasizes the lack of qualification or suitability.

were excluded

Focuses on the act of being left out or prevented from participating.

were eliminated

Implies a removal from a competition or selection process.

did not qualify

Simply states the failure to meet the necessary requirements.

were ruled out

Highlights the decision-making aspect of deeming someone ineligible.

were invalidated

Highlights the nullification of a result or qualification.

were barred

Suggests a formal or legal prohibition.

were suspended

Implies a temporary removal or restriction.

were rendered unfit

Emphasizes the state of being unsuitable or unqualified.

were rejected

Focuses on the act of not being accepted or approved.

FAQs

What does "were disqualified" mean?

The phrase "were disqualified" means that someone or something was removed from a competition or deemed ineligible due to not meeting certain criteria or rules.

How is "were disqualified" used in a sentence?

You can use "were disqualified" in a sentence like: "The athletes "were disqualified" from the race after failing the drug test."

What's a good alternative to "were disqualified"?

Alternatives to "were disqualified" include "were excluded", "were eliminated", or "were deemed ineligible" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "was disqualified" instead of "were disqualified"?

"Was disqualified" is used for singular subjects, while "were disqualified" is used for plural subjects. For example: "He was disqualified" versus "They "were disqualified"".