cannot be devised

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cannot be devised" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that cannot be created, formulated, or planned out. Example: "The solution to this complex problem cannot be devised without further research and analysis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The existence of these difficulties does not mean that genuine programmes cannot be devised to provide water, electricity, health facilities and sanitation to people in Africa who have no money at all whatsoever and so cannot be expected "to get on their bikes" and provide these things for themselves.

The Guardian - Opinion

If a clever tax-avoidance strategy cannot be devised (and Goldman is nothing if not clever about this sort of thing), the capital-gains taxes from Mr Paulson's sale would themselves make a tiny dent in the federal budget deficit.Rumours of a move by Mr Paulson to the Treasury had been circulating for months, all adamantly denied.

The Economist

Due to the lack of a closed-form expression for the AMMSE, such a simple procedure cannot be devised for HDA-TQ.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

It is recognised that any educational program cannot be devised or constructed in a socio-political vacuum and any developments must acknowledge this influence on the context in which nurse education operates.

Nurse Education Today

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

However, a single biomass objective function cannot currently be devised for the mitochondrion, as no experimental figures exist for its composition.

BMC Systems Biology

On November 22, 2013, the EMA recommended conditional authorisation of delamanid (Deltyba; Otsuka Novel Products, Wexham, UK) for use in combination with other medicines against MDR/XDR-TB, when an effective treatment regimen cannot otherwise be devised for reasons of resistance or tolerability [ 170].

European Respiratory Journal

Cleverer approaches must be devised.

Forbes

A formula can be devised to distribute according to usage.

Huffington Post

Escape routes will be devised just in case.

Huffington Post

Then a set of complementary projects would be devised.

Huffington Post

Some form of cure must be devised.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cannot be devised", ensure the context clearly indicates what efforts have been made or considered to create or formulate the item in question. This adds weight to the impossibility being asserted.

Common error

Avoid using "cannot be devised" when a solution or plan is simply difficult, but not impossible, to create. Reserve it for situations where fundamental constraints prevent any viable formulation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cannot be devised" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing impossibility. It indicates that creating or formulating something is not feasible, as shown in the examples from Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cannot be devised" is a grammatically correct modal verb phrase that expresses the impossibility of creating or formulating something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While not extremely common, it appears in various contexts, particularly in science, news, and formal writing. When using this phrase, ensure the impossibility is clearly justified and consider related phrases such as "cannot be created" or "cannot be formulated" for slight variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is not possible to create

Focuses on the impossibility of creation.

cannot be formulated

Highlights the inability to develop a specific plan or method.

cannot be created

Emphasizes the lack of potential for something to come into existence.

cannot be designed

Focuses on the impossibility of planning or designing something.

cannot be invented

Highlights the inability to come up with something new or original.

is unachievable

Highlights the impossibility of reaching a certain goal or result.

is not feasible

Focuses on the impracticality of a particular action or plan.

is beyond the realm of possibility

Emphasizes the extreme unlikelihood of something happening or being created.

lies outside the bounds of creation

Points to something being impossible within the given context.

cannot be brought into being

Highlights the impossibility of giving existence to something.

FAQs

How can I use "cannot be devised" in a sentence?

You can use "cannot be devised" to describe a situation where a plan, solution, or method is impossible to create or formulate. For example: "A simple solution "cannot be devised" to solve this complex problem."

What are some alternatives to "cannot be devised"?

Alternatives to "cannot be devised" include phrases like "cannot be formulated", "cannot be created", or "is not possible to create". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "cannot be devised" or "could not be devised"?

The choice between "cannot be devised" and "could not be devised" depends on the tense you need. "Cannot be devised" indicates something is impossible in the present or future, while "could not be devised" refers to something that was impossible in the past. In most cases they are synonyms.

What is the difference between "cannot be devised" and "cannot be derived"?

"Cannot be devised" implies that something "cannot be created" or planned. "Cannot be derived" suggests something "cannot be deduced" or obtained from existing information or principles. They are often used in different contexts, though they can sometimes overlap.