cannot be regained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cannot be regained" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is lost and cannot be recovered or restored. Example: "Once trust is broken, it often cannot be regained."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Amateur status cannot be regained for a year.

The New York Times - Sports

Time lost at the computer cannot be regained.

The New York Times

Faith cannot be regained by empty gestures, such as scrapping the record books.

Independent

"Never Any End to Paris" offers an extended meditation on the shifting self, the "deep and insurmountable gap" between youth and adulthood, and how the past cannot be regained but how this is probably a very good thing, because when the past is not elusive it is horribly embarrassing.

The New Yorker

In contrast to closed-loop studies in discrete parts industry, in agri-food supply chains the value of the final product itself cannot be regained.

International Journal of Production Economics

For example, it has been suggested that once lost, a complex feature cannot be regained as the probability of its reemergence is too slight.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Once lost, heterozygosity cannot generally be regained.

Cell

A reputation, once lost, cannot easily be regained.

WikiHow

Trust lost must be regained.

Huffington Post

These factors can be regained by normalization.

Plosone

They may even be regaining it.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cannot be regained" when you want to emphasize the finality of a loss, such as in the context of trust, health, or opportunities.

Common error

Avoid using "cannot be regained" when a situation is merely difficult to recover from, rather than definitively impossible. Opt for phrases like "hard to recover" or "difficult to regain" when there's still a chance for recovery.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cannot be regained" functions as a passive verb phrase expressing the impossibility of recovering something that has been lost. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Examples show its use across various domains.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cannot be regained" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote the irreversible loss of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s appropriate for expressing finality in various contexts, from scientific explanations to news reports. While it's important to avoid overstating situations that are merely difficult rather than impossible to recover from, "cannot be regained" serves as a potent way to underscore permanence. Related phrases such as "cannot be recovered" or "is irretrievable" can provide suitable alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot be recovered

Focuses on the impossibility of getting something back, similar to the original phrase.

cannot be restored

Emphasizes the inability to return something to its original condition.

cannot be retrieved

Highlights the impossibility of accessing or obtaining something again.

is irretrievable

Uses a single adjective to convey the impossibility of recovery.

is unrecoverable

Similar to 'irretrievable', but emphasizes the state of being beyond recovery.

is lost forever

Stresses the permanent nature of the loss.

cannot be brought back

Focuses on the action of returning something to its previous state and the impossibility of doing so.

is irreversibly lost

Highlights both the irreversible nature and the state of being lost.

cannot be resurrected

Implies a complete and utter loss, drawing a parallel to bringing something back from the dead.

is gone for good

An idiomatic expression indicating a permanent departure or loss.

FAQs

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

You can use "cannot be regained" to describe something that, once lost, is impossible to get back. For example: "Once lost, innocence "cannot be regained"."

What phrases are similar to "cannot be regained"?

Alternatives to "cannot be regained" include "cannot be recovered", "cannot be restored", or "is irretrievable".

Is it correct to say "can't be regained" instead of "cannot be regained"?

Yes, "can't be regained" is a contraction of "cannot be regained" and is perfectly acceptable in informal contexts. However, "cannot be regained" is more suitable for formal writing.

What is the difference between "cannot be regained" and "cannot be recovered"?

While both phrases are similar, "cannot be regained" often implies a loss of something intangible, like trust or innocence, while "cannot be recovered" can apply to both tangible and intangible items. Semantically, both are similar and often interchangeable.