are already lost

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are already lost" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something or someone has already been misplaced or is no longer retrievable. Example: "If we don't act quickly, our chances of success are already lost."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Of course, countless items are already lost to Brown's inventory.

The Guardian - Arts

Heavy rains in late June and early July may make some fields worth harvesting but many are already lost.

The Economist

Sponsors who are part of the warp and weft of Oldham are already lost and may be irrecoverable.

Independent

He says half of all films made before 1951 are already lost because they were stored on celluloid.

MIT Technology Review

This enables them to identify places within and around the park that will survive anyway, places that are already lost, and those where effort needs to be concentrated.

The Economist

The urgency of this part of the project is clear from the library's estimate that about half the recordings originally made on cylinders, for example, are already lost.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

American voters are already losing patience.

The New York Times

Refugees are already losing patience, Padoan said.

The Guardian

They are already losing business because of their toxic reputations.

The New York Times

They are already losing jobs as temporary contracts are not renewed.

The Economist

They are already losing ground to debit cards, which now receive bigger tax breaks.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "are already lost" to clearly and directly communicate that something is unrecoverable or no longer available. It emphasizes the finality of the loss.

Common error

While "are already lost" is acceptable in most contexts, avoid using it excessively in highly formal writing. Opt for more sophisticated synonyms like "have been irretrievably lost" or "are beyond retrieval" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are already lost" functions as a stative construction, indicating a state of being unrecoverable or misplaced. Ludwig AI provides examples from various contexts, showcasing its versatility.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

25%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "are already lost" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something is unrecoverable. According to Ludwig AI, it appears frequently in News & Media and Science contexts. While generally acceptable, it's important to consider the formality of the context and choose more sophisticated synonyms when appropriate. Examples demonstrate its use in various situations, emphasizing the finality of the loss. Remember to avoid overuse in highly formal contexts for maintaining a professional tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have been lost already

Reorders the phrase and uses "have been" to emphasize the completed state of being lost.

are irretrievably lost

Adds the adverb "irretrievably" to emphasize that there's no possibility of recovery.

are unrecoverable now

Changes the tense to "now" highlighting current irrecoverability.

are gone forever

Uses a more emphatic expression to convey permanence of loss.

are beyond recovery

Replaces "lost" with "beyond recovery", focusing on the impossibility of retrieval.

have vanished completely

Uses "vanished" to imply disappearance and "completely" to emphasize the totality of the loss.

are now unfindable

Replaces "lost" with "unfindable" to highlight the difficulty in locating something.

are permanently misplaced

Uses "misplaced" and "permanently" to suggest that items are not just lost, but unlikely to be found again.

can no longer be found

Expresses the impossibility of finding something that has been lost.

are irredeemable

Suggests the situation is past the point of being saved or improved.

FAQs

How can I use "are already lost" in a sentence?

You can use "are already lost" to indicate that something is unrecoverable, such as "The documents "are already lost", so we must reconstruct them from memory".

What's a synonym for "are already lost"?

Alternatives include "have been lost already", "are irretrievably lost", or "are gone forever", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is more formal, "are already lost" or "have been irretrievably lost"?

"Have been irretrievably lost" is generally more formal than "are already lost", which is suitable for most general contexts.

What's the difference between "are already lost" and "are currently lost"?

"Are already lost" emphasizes that the loss occurred in the past and persists to the present, while "are currently lost" ("are currently lost") simply states that something is misplaced at the present time, without necessarily implying permanence.