are devoid of which

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are devoid of which" is not correct and does not work well in written English.
It is awkward and unclear, making it difficult to understand the intended meaning. Example: "The results of the experiment are devoid of which factors contributed to the outcome."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In WAF-treated embryos vascular remodeling is seen only in intersegmental blood vessels that are devoid of circulation, which could represent an extreme but focused hypoxic event during which vascular looping might be observed.

BMC Biology

For instance, all studied Prochlorococcus strains are devoid of enzymes which are almost universally found in other cyanobacterial groups, such as nitrate reductase [9], possibly due to the high energetic cost of assimilating nitrate.

Plosone

and made insignificant in practice, by selecting for study simple kinds of ex­ periences which are devoid of emotional content and which can be tested for reliability.

Springer

However, after processing, final migrated stack data are devoid of diffraction events, which have been collapsed to discrete points, smoothed out, and overshadowed by reflection events.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The Mdr1a/1b dKO mice served as controls, as they are devoid of P-gp, which is the target of tariquidar.

EJNMMI Research

Their larvae however, possess a digestive tract [ 4], and are devoid of symbiotic bacteria which they acquire from the environment.

BMC Genomics

TLN appears to act here specifically as microbeads seem not to adhere to axons (Supplementary Figure S1), nor to young neurons (Supplementary Figure S2), both of which are devoid of TLN.

EMBO Journal

By contrast, CTCF is enriched on distinct sites, which are devoid of histone H3 on the binding site itself, but which are surrounded by ordered, or "phased," nucleosomes.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

Sageman's unique research allows him to go beyond available academic studies, which are light on facts, and journalistic narratives, which are devoid of theory.

University of Pennsylvania

We have designed recombinant toxins which are devoid of toxic activity and express epitopes from various bacterial and viral pathogens.

Harvard University

Fatty acids stimulate the expression of FGF21 in hepatic cells, which are devoid of GPR120, in a PPARα-mediated manner32.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "are devoid of which" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives like "which lack" or "that do not have".

Common error

Don't force the structure "are devoid of which" into your writing. It often leads to convoluted sentences. Rephrase to use active voice or simpler vocabulary.

Linguistic Context

Relative clause marker highlighting absence. While grammatically questionable, the phrase attempts to specify a characteristic of something by indicating what it lacks. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is not correct. Therefore, it's best to avoid the construction "are devoid of which".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are devoid of which" is an awkward and grammatically questionable construction. Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect. While the intent is to describe something by indicating its lack of certain qualities, it is best to use clearer and more direct alternatives like "which lack", "that lack", or "that do not have". These alternatives improve clarity and maintain grammatical correctness, making your writing more effective. Avoid using "are devoid of which" in formal writing to prevent convoluted sentences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

which lack

This is a more direct and grammatically correct way to express the same idea, replacing the passive voice and preposition with a simple verb.

that lack

Similar to "which lack", this option uses "that" instead of "which" as a relative pronoun, which can sometimes sound more natural.

that are missing

This simplifies the phrasing by using the more common word "missing" instead of "devoid", and replaces "which" with "that".

which do not have

This alternative uses a more common and easily understood verb phrase instead of "are devoid of".

that do not contain

This replaces "devoid" with "do not contain", specifying that something lacks specific components.

which omit

This uses the verb "omit" to indicate a lack of inclusion, offering a slightly more formal tone.

that exclude

Similar to "omit", this option implies a deliberate exclusion of something.

lacking which

This option inverts the structure slightly to emphasize what is missing.

without which

A more concise way of expressing the absence of something essential.

missing

Simplifies the phrase by using a single adjective. This will change the sentence structure.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "are devoid of which"?

You can use alternatives like "which lack", "that lack", or "that are missing" depending on the context.

Why is "are devoid of which" considered grammatically awkward?

The construction "are devoid of which" is considered awkward because it combines a passive voice construction ("are devoid of") with a relative pronoun ("which") in a way that is not idiomatic in modern English. Simpler constructions are generally preferred.

Is "are devoid of which" ever correct?

While not strictly ungrammatical, "are devoid of which" is almost always less clear and more cumbersome than alternative phrasings. It is best to avoid it in formal writing.

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "are devoid of which"?

Identify what is lacking and what lacks it. Then, use a construction like "X lacks Y" or "which lack Y" to express the relationship more clearly.