Meaning & use
to be courted
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To be the person that someone is trying to win romantically, especially with attention and gifts.
Grammar: Passive form of 'court'; often followed by 'by' to say who is doing the courting.
Patterns
- be courted by someone
- be courted for something
She was courted by several suitors before she chose her husband.
In the past, a woman might be courted with flowers and poetry.
verbtransitive or intransitivebusiness
To be actively persuaded or sought after by a person or organization, often for business or political reasons.
Grammar: Used in business and politics; often followed by 'by' or 'for'.
Patterns
- be courted by a company
- be courted for a position
The young engineer was courted by several tech companies.
The senator was courted for her support on the new bill.
Common combinations
- be courted by
- He was courted by major publishers for his memoir.
- be courted for
- The startup was courted for its innovative technology.
- hotly courted
- The talented athlete was hotly courted by top universities.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be wooed
- Similar but often more romantic or literary; 'courted' can also be used in business contexts.
- be pursued
- More general; can mean chased in any way, while 'courted' implies a deliberate attempt to win favor.
Word family
Commonly confused: to be courted or court?
to be courted vs court
As a noun, 'court' means a place for legal cases or a sports area; as a verb it means to try to win someone.
Practice
The actress ___ by many directors before she agreed to take the role.
Choose one answer.
The sentence is passive and in the past, so 'was courted' is correct. 'Courted' alone would be active and would need a subject that does the courting. 'Was courting' would mean she was doing the courting, which doesn't fit the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to be courted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.