were halted

USAGE SUMMARY

"were halted" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is past tense passive voice form of the verb "halt", meaning to stop or pause temporarily. Example: The construction of the new building were halted due to budget constraints.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Construction projects stopped; city buses were halted.

The New Yorker

CryoLife shares were halted before yesterday's announcement.

The New York Times

It is unclear why sales were halted.

The New York Times

Pickups were halted three days ago.

The New York Times

Trains were halted as water submerged railway tracks, officials said.

The Guardian

Both projects were halted for lack of financing.

The New York Times - Food

Trains in the northern Netherlands were halted, Dutch Railways said.

The Guardian

But patients quickly reported problems and the procedures were halted.

The Guardian

Passenger and freight services were halted for several hours.

The New York Times

The upturn largely came when the programs were halted.

The Guardian - Business

The shares were halted yesterday during regular hours.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were halted", ensure that the subject clearly indicates what action or process was stopped. For example, "The negotiations "were halted" due to disagreements."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring the subject of "were halted" is clearly defined. Incorrect: "Due to the storm, "were halted"". Correct: "Due to the storm, train services "were halted"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were halted" functions as a passive verb phrase, indicating that an action or process was stopped by an external force or circumstance. As confirmed by Ludwig, this construction is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Science

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were halted" is a grammatically correct passive verb construction used to indicate that something has been stopped. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is commonly used in a variety of contexts, especially in news and media, to report the cessation of activities or processes. While largely interchangeable with "were stopped", "were halted" often carries a more formal tone. When using this phrase, ensure the subject is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. The phrase is prevalent in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, marking it as a reliable and versatile option for formal and neutral communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were stopped

Replaces "halted" with "stopped", a direct synonym, maintaining the passive voice and past tense.

were brought to a halt

Adds the verb "brought" to emphasize an external force causing the stop.

were ceased

Uses "ceased" instead of "halted", indicating a more formal or permanent stop.

were brought to a standstill

This alternative adds emphasis on the agent or action that caused the stopping.

were discontinued

Employs "discontinued" to emphasize the termination of an action or process.

were suspended

Suggests a temporary stop, using "suspended" to imply a possible future resumption.

were terminated

Indicates a formal or official end to something, using "terminated" as a replacement.

were interrupted

Highlights a disruption in progress, using "interrupted" to indicate a temporary cessation.

came to a standstill

Shifts the structure to a more descriptive phrase indicating a complete stop.

met with a stop

Rearranges the sentence to emphasize the encounter with a stopping force or event.

FAQs

How can I use "were halted" in a sentence?

Use "were halted" to indicate that something was stopped, usually temporarily. For example, "Construction operations "were halted" due to safety concerns".

What's the difference between "were halted" and "were stopped"?

"Were halted" and "were stopped" are largely interchangeable, but "halted" can sometimes imply a more formal or abrupt cessation. You can say "The game "was stopped"" or "The game "was halted"" and mean the same.

What are some alternatives to saying "were halted"?

You can use alternatives such as "were ceased", "were discontinued", or "came to a standstill" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "halted"?

Using the active or passive voice depends on the emphasis you want to convey. "The police halted the traffic" (active) emphasizes the police action, while "The traffic "were halted"" (passive) emphasizes the traffic's state. Passive voice is useful when the actor is unknown or less important.