which has acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which has acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has gained or obtained a particular quality, characteristic, or possession over time. Example: "The company, which has acquired several smaller firms, is now a leader in the industry."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Maybe DreamWorks, which has acquired the rights for an American remake, should redress the balance.

The New Yorker

Suntory was already in merger talks with Kirin, another Japanese drinks firm, which has acquired aggressively in Australia.

The Economist

The Bush campaign, which has acquired a large number of domain names to prevent parody sites, had apparently never purchased the Bush-Cheney combination.

The New York Times

Its rapid revenue growth, however, has begun attracting large competitors like Yahoo, which has acquired Overture, a leading search ad provider.

The New York Times

The Pequonnock Yacht Club owns a two-acre waterfront plot sought by the city — which has acquired all the surrounding land through eminent domain.

The New York Times

The Fortescue Metals Group, which has acquired a limited right to mine in Yindjibarndi country, told the community they had to request permission to enter cultural sites.

The Guardian

The 17 editorial staff at the i will move to Johnston Press, the owner of the Scotsman which has acquired the title for £25m, under employment law.

The Guardian

To show what the Smithsonian wouldn't: The Museum of Modern Art, which has acquired David Wojnarowicz's controversial video "A Fire in My Belly".

The New Yorker

As an introduction by C. Ford Peatross, of the Library of Congress (which has acquired Margolies's collection of images), notes, the architecture is demonstrative, not demure.

The New Yorker

The company, which has acquired a network of factory farms and slaughterhouses, worries federal agriculture officials and legislators, who see it siphoning business from smaller farmers.

The New York Times

He harbours no doubts that a younger generation which has acquired much of its personal experience online will have little trouble doing so.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "which has acquired" to introduce a clause that provides additional, non-essential information about the preceding noun. This adds detail without being crucial to the sentence's core meaning. For example, "The company, which has acquired several smaller firms, is expanding rapidly."

Common error

Avoid using "that" instead of "which" when introducing a non-restrictive clause (a clause that adds extra information but isn't essential to the sentence). Use "which" for non-restrictive clauses and "that" for restrictive clauses. Example: The book that I borrowed is interesting (restrictive) vs. The book, which has acquired a cult following, is interesting (non-restrictive).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which has acquired" functions as a relative clause, providing additional, non-essential information about a noun. It adds detail to the preceding noun without being crucial to the sentence's core meaning. Ludwig shows examples where it describes various entities and their acquisitions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "which has acquired" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase. It functions as a relative clause to provide non-essential details about a noun's properties or acquisitions. Ludwig AI highlights that it's prevalent in News & Media and Science contexts. Remember to use "which" for non-restrictive clauses and consider alternatives like "that has obtained" or "which has gained" for variety and precision. It's worth noting that using this phrase correctly is essential to clarify meaning and avoid grammatical mistakes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that has obtained

Replaces "acquired" with a more formal synonym, "obtained".

that has gained

Substitutes "acquired" with "gained", emphasizing a gradual accumulation.

which has attained

Uses "attained" instead of "acquired", suggesting a higher degree of achievement.

that has come to possess

Replaces "acquired" with a longer phrase, "come to possess", focusing on the act of gaining possession.

that has developed

Uses "developed" instead of "acquired", implying growth or evolution.

which has secured

Replaces "acquired" with "secured", emphasizing the effort involved in obtaining something.

that has assumed

Substitutes "acquired" with "assumed", suggesting taking on a role or characteristic.

which has taken on

Replaces "acquired" with "taken on", implying the addition of something new.

that now features

Uses "now features" instead of "which has acquired", focusing on a current attribute.

which boasts

Replaces "which has acquired" with a shorter alternative focused on the positive attribute.

FAQs

How can I use "which has acquired" in a sentence?

Use "which has acquired" to add non-essential information about a noun, such as a company, organization, or object. For example, "The museum, "which has acquired" several new artifacts, will reopen next month."

What are some alternatives to "which has acquired"?

You can use alternatives like "that has obtained", "which has gained", or "that has developed" depending on the specific context.

When should I use "which has acquired" versus "that has acquired"?

"Which has acquired" should be used for non-restrictive clauses (adding extra information), while "that has acquired" should be used for restrictive clauses (essential information). The clause introduced by "which" is usually set off by commas.

Is it always necessary to use "which has acquired", or can I rephrase the sentence?

No, it's not always necessary. You can often rephrase the sentence for conciseness. For example, instead of "The company, "which has acquired" several smaller firms, is expanding rapidly", you could say "The company, having acquired several smaller firms, is expanding rapidly" or "The company is expanding rapidly after acquiring several smaller firms".