be reached for comment

USAGE SUMMARY

"be reached for comment" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used when you need to contact someone to hear their opinion or quote them in a news story or article. For example, "The mayor's office could not be reached for comment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hamza could not be reached for comment.

The New Yorker

Neither woman could be reached for comment.

The New York Times

Perupetro could not be reached for comment.

The Guardian

She could not be reached for comment.

The New York Times

MyCashNow could not be reached for comment.

The New York Times

Meadors could not be reached for comment.

The New York Times - Sports

(Edwards could not be reached for comment).

The New Yorker

Cascade could not be reached for comment.

Independent

(Abramson could not be reached for comment).

The New Yorker

ITM could not be reached for comment.

The New York Times

(Boisseau could not be reached for comment).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be reached for comment" when you have genuinely attempted to contact a person or organization and were unable to get a response. This adds credibility to your reporting.

Common error

Avoid stating that someone "could not be reached for comment" without actually attempting to contact them. This can be misleading and unethical.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be reached for comment" functions as a passive construction indicating the inability or failure to obtain a statement from a source. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a standard phrase in journalistic writing. Examples in Ludwig show that it is often used to explain why a particular person or organization's perspective is missing from a news report.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be reached for comment" is a common and grammatically correct phrase predominantly used in news and media to indicate that a person or organization could not be contacted for a statement. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is a standard part of journalistic writing. While it's neutral in tone and widely understood, alternatives like "was unavailable for comment" or "did not respond to requests for comment" can be used for slight variations in emphasis. When employing this phrase, ensure you have genuinely attempted to make contact to maintain ethical reporting practices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Could not be contacted for comment

Emphasizes the inability to make contact.

Was unavailable for comment

Focuses on the person's availability rather than the act of reaching them.

Did not respond to requests for comment

Highlights the lack of response to a specific request.

Offered no comment

A more concise way of saying 'declined to comment'.

Declined to comment

Indicates a deliberate refusal to provide a statement.

Refused to give a statement

Similar to 'declined to comment', but with a stronger emphasis on refusal.

Withheld comment

Suggests a conscious decision to hold back a statement.

No statement was issued

Highlights the absence of any official communication.

Remained silent on the matter

Emphasizes the lack of any statement whatsoever.

Did not offer their perspective

Shifts the focus to a lack of personal viewpoint.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "be reached for comment"?

Use "be reached for comment" in journalism or reporting when you've attempted to contact a person or entity for a statement, but they were unavailable or did not respond.

What's a more formal way to say "be reached for comment"?

While "be reached for comment" is already fairly neutral, you could use phrases like "was unavailable for comment" or "did not respond to requests for comment" for a slightly more formal tone.

What does it mean when someone "could not be reached for comment"?

It typically indicates that attempts to contact the individual or organization were unsuccessful, meaning they could not be contacted to provide a statement or opinion on the matter at hand.

Is it acceptable to say "couldn't be reached for comment"?

Yes, "couldn't be reached for comment" is a perfectly acceptable contraction that maintains the same meaning and is commonly used in news and media.