but no reply

USAGE SUMMARY

"but no reply" is a perfectly acceptable and usable phrase in written English.
For example, you might use it in a sentence such as this: "I sent an email to the customer service department, but no reply."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

I waited by the machine for over half an hour, but no reply came.

The Guardian - Books

An e-mail was sent to Amazon, seeking comment on the premise of the commercial, but no reply was received.

The New York Times

(I asked Stig Abell, the Managing Editor, and Dylan Sharpe, the paper's head of PR, for their thoughts on Twitter last night, but no reply so far).

Independent

But no reply was given – the Allies insisted on "unconditional surrender", which did not help to persuade more of the commanders to risk their necks.

The Economist

"We thought he wanted to break with the mistakes the government had done in the past, but no reply, no help.

The New York Times

Human Rights Watch wrote to the government to ask the reason for this approach, but no reply had been received at time of publication.

Columbia University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

She repeatedly emailed agents with details of her school plays, but "no one replied".

The Guardian - Film

A letter of complaint written by a trainee was sent to a number of media and government representatives at the end of last year, but no replies were received.

The Guardian

"I thought I did well but no-one replied.

BBC

I tweet Patrick McLoughlin, but get no reply.

The Guardian

Pillai did this but received no reply.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "but no reply" when you want to succinctly express that a communication was sent but did not receive a response. It's effective in both formal and informal writing.

Common error

While "but no reply" is useful, avoid overuse, especially in close proximity within a text. Vary your language with synonyms like "no response" or "unacknowledged" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but no reply" functions as a conjunction phrase, connecting two related statements where the second statement contrasts with the expectation set by the first. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but no reply" effectively communicates the absence of a response to a communication. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across various contexts, predominantly in news and media. While versatile, it's important to avoid overuse and consider alternative expressions like "no response" or "unacknowledged" for varied writing. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for a wide range of writing styles, offering a succinct way to express a lack of communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but there was no response

Replaces "reply" with the more general term "response", slightly broadening the scope of the lack of communication.

but nobody responded

Shifts the focus to people not responding, making it more personal.

but it went unanswered

Changes the focus to the lack of an answer rather than a direct reply, implying a question or request was ignored.

but no answer came

Similar to "but it went unanswered", emphasizing the absence of an answer.

but nothing was heard back

Informal phrasing indicating that no communication was received in return.

but the message went unacknowledged

Highlights that a specific message wasn't recognized or addressed, emphasizing the lack of receipt.

but no acknowledgment was received

More formal and emphasizes the lack of any form of recognition or receipt.

but it was ignored

Directly states that the communication was disregarded, adding a negative connotation.

but there was no communication

Broader term referring to the absence of any kind of communication.

but there was silence

Uses a metaphorical expression to convey the absence of any communication.

FAQs

What does "but no reply" mean?

The phrase "but no reply" indicates that a communication was sent, but the sender did not receive any response or acknowledgment from the recipient.

How can I use "but no reply" in a sentence?

You can use "but no reply" to describe situations where you expected a response but didn't receive one. For example: "I emailed him last week, but no reply."

What are some alternatives to "but no reply"?

You can use alternatives like "no response", "unacknowledged", or "unanswered" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "but no reply" formal or informal?

"But no reply" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, you might prefer phrases like "no acknowledgment was received".