became unreachable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "became unreachable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is no longer able to be contacted or accessed. Example: "After the storm, the phone lines were down, and many residents became unreachable for days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Then, when the associate became unreachable, Emil left messages with a secretary.

The New Yorker

But I saw these people who were neighbors and so on, and a lot changed, and they became unreachable, for a lot of reasons that would take a while to elaborate — a lot of it had to do with Vietnam.

The New Yorker

Today around 1pm ET / 10am PT (which is when the first round of NFL games started) ESPN's fantasy sports platform crashed and became unreachable on the web and in their mobile app.

TechCrunch

All of Syria's IP address blocks became unreachable.

Vice

The towns of Guaymas and Empalme became unreachable from the rest of the state because Mexico Federal Highway 15 was closed due to flooding.

Wikipedia

But several areas remain out of reach and others became unreachable last month, such as the neighborhoods of Tadamon and Hajar Aswad.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"I would send this book to people," she said, "and they would become unreachable.

The New York Times - Books

In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria's IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the Internet.

The New York Times

But we know that eventually the rising standards will become unreachable, no matter how many music or gym classes our students miss.

The New York Times

In the past, blacklisted sites have retaliated against Spamhaus with denial-of-service attacks, in which they flood Spamhaus with traffic requests from personal computers until its servers become unreachable.

The New York Times - Tech

Only London 2012 did better with 2.8m seats filled (a target that has become unreachable for Rio because there is simply not enough seating capacity at this year's scaled-down Games).

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing technical issues, "became unreachable" is a clear way to indicate a loss of connectivity. For broader contexts consider "became inaccessible" or "became out of reach."

Common error

Avoid using "became unreachable" in casual conversation when simpler alternatives like "couldn't get ahold of" or "couldn't contact" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "became unreachable" functions as a predicate, typically describing the resulting state of a subject after a change. It indicates that something or someone has transitioned into a state where contact or access is no longer possible, as supported by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "became unreachable" is grammatically sound and serves to describe a change in accessibility, as affirmed by Ludwig. Although not exceptionally common, its usage is primarily found in news, science, and wiki contexts, maintaining a neutral register. To enhance clarity and appropriateness, consider alternatives such as "became inaccessible" or "became unavailable", especially when aiming for precision or stylistic variation. As Ludwig showed us, the phrase is reliable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

became inaccessible

Emphasizes the lack of access, whether physical or virtual.

became unobtainable

Focuses on the impossibility of acquiring or reaching something.

became out of reach

Highlights the inability to contact or influence someone or something.

became disconnected

Indicates a loss of connection, often in a technological context.

became isolated

Suggests a state of being separated or cut off from others.

became unavailable

Highlights the lack of availability, whether temporary or permanent.

became lost

Indicates a loss of contact or awareness of someone or something.

became incommunicado

Emphasizes the inability to communicate with someone.

became off the grid

Implies a deliberate choice to disconnect from modern technology and communication.

became beyond contact

Highlights the complete inability to establish contact.

FAQs

What does it mean when something "becomes unreachable"?

When something "becomes unreachable", it means it is no longer possible to contact, access, or connect with it. This can refer to people, places, or even digital resources.

What are some alternatives to using "became unreachable"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "became inaccessible", "became unavailable", or "became disconnected".

Is it better to say "was unreachable" or "became unreachable"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "became unreachable" suggests a change in state, whereas "was unreachable" simply describes a condition. The best choice depends on the specific context.

How can I use "became unreachable" in a sentence?

You can use "became unreachable" to describe various situations. For example: "After the power outage, the website became unreachable", or "Following his move, he became unreachable for several months".