but not containing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but not containing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to specify that something is excluded from a particular category or group. Example: "The box is filled with various items, but not containing any fragile objects."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Cgd7_3890 (annotated as CpCDPK7, but not containing EF-hands) contains motifs indicative of both the auto-inhibitory sequence and CaM-binding motif.

BMC Genomics

We detected C. jejuni/coli in 3 samples examined for, but not containing, E. coli O157, which indicates that some cases of campylobacteriosis go undiagnosed.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

In human KLK3, that was crystallized with an antibody required for stabilization of the extended 99 loop but not containing Zn2+, the region around the 75-loop exhibited promising ligands for Zn2+: His70, His75, His75, Glu21, Glu77 and Asp78 [134].

Biochimie

The major result of the paper is that pairs of loci containing breakpoint pairs are significantly closer in 3D than pairs of loci at similar genomic distances but not containing breakpoint pairs.

BMC Genomics

Second, the following strategies were adopted which are known to increase response rate; a short, one-sided, straightforward questionnaire designed to be of interest to participants but not containing sensitive questions, reminders with a second copy of the questionnaire and university sponsorship.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

If a CRISPR cassette covered a metagenomic contig (almost) completely, i.e., if both flanking sequences were shorter than 100 nt, a fragment of the same length was taken from a randomly selected contig coming from the same individual but not containing predicted CRISPR cassettes.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

They can be implied, touched on, but not contained.

The New York Times - Books

All this leaves little time and management attention for goals that are short of long-term but not contained in the budget year.

Harvard Business Review

Furthermore, the two reads will flank the fusion point but not contain it.

BMC Genomics

By maximality, K a ⊄ K a ′ so there is a vertex v of H that is contained in K a but not contained in K a ′.

Algorithms for Molecular Biology

The the pressure should be firm but not contain their entire body weight.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "but not containing", ensure the contrast introduced by "but" is clear and relevant to the sentence's meaning. This helps maintain clarity and logical flow.

Common error

Avoid layering multiple negations (e.g., "not uncontaining") as this can confuse readers. Opt for more direct phrasing like "lacking" or "excluding" for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but not containing" functions as a conjunction phrase used to introduce a contrast by specifying an exclusion or exception. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its usability and correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

57%

News & Media

21%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but not containing" is a grammatically sound and usable expression for specifying exclusions or exceptions. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is best used when aiming for clarity and precision, particularly in scientific, news, and academic contexts. While not as common as simpler alternatives like "excluding", it provides a useful way to create contrast and specify limits in your writing. Avoiding overuse and complex negations will help to maintain clarity when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excluding

A concise alternative that directly indicates exclusion.

minus

A brief way to specify exclusion.

without including

Another way to specify that something is excluded.

yet lacking

Emphasizes absence or deficiency, replacing the conjunction and exclusion with a single expression.

not inclusive of

More formal way of expressing exclusion.

though absent of

Highlights the absence of a specific element using a prepositional phrase.

however devoid of

Similar to 'though absent of' but uses 'devoid' to strengthen the sense of exclusion.

aside from

Indicates exclusion with a slightly different emphasis.

besides not having

Focuses on the absence of something as an additional point.

save for the absence of

A more literary way to express exclusion.

FAQs

What does "but not containing" mean?

The phrase "but not containing" is used to indicate that something is excluded or absent from a particular group or set. It sets up a contrast where something might be expected to be included, but it isn't.

How can I rephrase "but not containing"?

Alternatives include "excluding", "without including", or "lacking", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "but not including" or "but not containing"?

Both "but not including" and "but not containing" are grammatically correct, but "but not including" is often preferred when referring to specific items in a list, while "but not containing" is used for broader exclusions or when discussing contents in a more abstract sense.

Can I start a sentence with "but not containing"?

While grammatically permissible, starting a sentence with "but not containing" can sometimes sound awkward. It's often better to integrate the phrase into the main clause for smoother flow, or to rephrase the sentence entirely.