by exclusion only

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by exclusion only" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is determined or defined solely through the process of elimination. Example: "The options available to us are limited, and we will choose our candidate by exclusion only."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When only the information about the empty cup was provided and subjects would have to choose by exclusion, only one bird went for the baited cup spontaneously.

Animal Cognition

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Therefore, adoptive transfer of schizophrenia is the most appealing etiology, not only by exclusion, but also in view of the increasing evidence that some forms of schizophrenia have an autoimmune origin.

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Cell survival (assessed by clonogenic assay) markedly decreased in irradiated Ax-hp16-infected U251MG and D54MG cells, whereas cell viability (determined by trypan blue exclusion) only slightly decreased in the same cell lines; thus, the results of these two analyses are apparently not consistent.

British Journal of Cancer

This technique of reducing the action space by exclusions was only recently introduced for finding periodical policies in games of conflicting interests.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Exclusions only were provided for these offspring.

BMC Genomics

CPP is not necessarily recognized as a diagnostic label and making the diagnosis was achieved only by exclusion.

BMC Family Practice

Although the term 'first episode psychosis' probably applies to many of the latter episodes, we have avoided using this term here because episode onset and frequency were not always assessed (only by exclusion) and a proportion of the 'existing episodes' would have also been 'first episode psychosis'.

BMC Psychiatry

However, diagnosis is often only possible by exclusion.

British Journal of Cancer

An accurate diagnosis is based on clinical, radiological (including high-resolution computed tomography) and histological manifestations, although is often only possible by exclusion.

British Journal of Cancer

An additional problem in the diagnosis and management of CFS/ME is the persistence of the term "medically unexplained illness", which indicates diagnoses can only be by exclusion and does not allow for a positive diagnosis.

BMC Family Practice

Finally, the universal is the object of the intellect by exclusion insofar as the intellect is the only faculty capable of knowing it.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by exclusion only" when you want to emphasize that a conclusion or determination is reached solely by eliminating other possibilities. This phrase is useful in contexts where direct evidence is lacking.

Common error

Avoid using "by exclusion only" when other factors contribute to the determination. Ensure that the exclusion process is the sole method of arriving at the conclusion; otherwise, the phrase may be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by exclusion only" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate how something is determined or achieved. Ludwig's examples show its use in specifying a method of deduction when direct evidence is lacking.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

24%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

4%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "by exclusion only" is an adverbial phrase used to indicate that a conclusion or determination is reached solely through the process of elimination. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts, including science, news, and business. While grammatically sound, it's crucial to ensure that exclusion is indeed the sole method employed to avoid misrepresentation. Alternative phrases like "solely by elimination" or "exclusively by deduction" can offer similar meanings. The phrase's neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal writing, but care should be taken to ensure its accurate application.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

solely by elimination

Emphasizes the single method of elimination for determination.

exclusively by deduction

Highlights the deductive reasoning aspect of the process.

only through elimination

Reorders the phrase to stress the process of elimination.

merely by ruling out options

Focuses on the act of discarding possibilities.

simply by process of elimination

Uses 'simply' to denote ease.

purely by way of exclusion

Adds a formal tone.

just by the act of excluding

Highlights the action of excluding.

entirely by the route of exclusion

Emphasizes that exclusion is the route to find the answer.

uniquely through exclusionary means

Highlights the unique and exclusionary nature of the method.

specifically by non-inclusion

Focuses on what is not included.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "by exclusion only" in a sentence?

Use "by exclusion only" to emphasize that a conclusion is reached solely through eliminating alternatives. For example, "Since we lacked direct evidence, we could only identify the cause "by exclusion only"."

Are there formal alternatives to "by exclusion only"?

Yes, more formal alternatives include "solely by elimination", "exclusively by deduction", or "purely by way of exclusion". These alternatives maintain a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

What's the difference between "by exclusion only" and "primarily by exclusion"?

"By exclusion only" means the conclusion is reached solely through exclusion. "Primarily by exclusion" indicates that exclusion is the main method, but other factors might also play a role.

In what contexts is "by exclusion only" most appropriate?

This phrase is suitable in contexts where direct evidence is lacking and determination relies on a process of elimination. Common contexts include scientific research, diagnostics, and logical problem-solving.