cannot be reminded

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cannot be reminded" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone is unable to be prompted or alerted about something, often in a context where reminders are typically expected. Example: "Despite several attempts to notify him, he cannot be reminded of the meeting time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Perhaps we cannot be reminded too often of this, but "The Anarchist Cookbook" is pushing it.

The New York Times

"I think we cannot be reminded too often — or too sharply — what a different country the past was.

Princeton University

This small book, just 6 inches square, excels in presenting ideas that both artists and designers, at all stages of their careers, cannot be reminded of too often.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Learners cannot be reminded of earlier episodes if they have forgotten them (Benjamin & Tullis, 2010).

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

But, recognizing the picture cannot involve recognizing Simmias, lest we already be thinking of Simmias (y) in thinking about the picture (x): that is, we cannot be reminded of what we are occurrently thinking about.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Ramadan will come and go with such stealth that we cannot but be reminded of our mortality.

Huffington Post

One cannot help but be reminded of the grotesque suicide bombings of the al-Aqsa Intifada, which began almost exactly fifteen years ago.

The New Yorker

When fans of the comics see images of the real thing they perhaps cannot help but be reminded of the books in which they first saw them.

The Guardian - Travel

The manner in which the closing track to Highway 61 Revisited mixes historical figures and fictional characters in a surreal montage owes a debt to the beat movement's favoured stream of consciousness, but you cannot help but be reminded of Eliot's own variety of allusions.

Independent

Maisie's sensitive interviews with the families of the murdered women, as well as her efforts on behalf of her assistant, Billy Beale, a veteran whose leg was shattered, bear out Winspear's poignant thesis that many war survivors cannot bear to be reminded of their own wounds.

The New York Times - Books

We may have visited it before, but Lost in Showbiz simply cannot help but be reminded once again of a brilliant Groucho Marx stunt, in which he claimed to have received a legal letter from Warner Bros, warning the Marx Brothers off using the name Casablanca in the title of A Night in Casablanca.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cannot be reminded" to emphasize a fundamental inability to prompt someone's memory, often due to external factors or inherent limitations.

Common error

Avoid overusing passive constructions like "cannot be reminded" when an active voice would be clearer and more direct. Ensure the agent performing the reminding is either irrelevant or unknown before opting for the passive form.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cannot be reminded" functions as a passive construction, indicating an inability to prompt or jog someone's memory. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and usable. It often appears in contexts where memory or awareness is central to the discussion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

40%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cannot be reminded" is a grammatically correct passive construction that expresses an inability to prompt someone's memory. As Ludwig AI has stated, the phrase is valid and can be used in English. Although relatively rare in overall usage, its appearances in academic, news, and scientific contexts indicate its suitability for formal writing. When using the phrase, consider whether the passive voice is truly necessary or if an active construction would be clearer. Consider the alternatives "cannot be prompted", "cannot be notified", or "cannot be recalled".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot be prompted

Focuses on the inability to initiate a reminder.

cannot be notified

Emphasizes the impossibility of conveying information.

cannot be recalled

Highlights the inability to bring something back to memory.

cannot be made aware

Stresses the difficulty in informing someone.

cannot be jogged of memory

Refers to the difficulty in stimulating recall.

cannot be triggered to recall

Focuses on the impossibility to initiate recall.

cannot have memory refreshed

Highlights the inability to stimulate recall.

cannot be made to remember

Highlights the impossibility to have memory refreshed.

cannot have recollection

Emphasizes the absence of memory.

cannot be stimulated to remember

Stresses the difficulty in stimulating memory.

FAQs

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

You can use "cannot be reminded" to indicate an inability to prompt someone's memory. For example: "Learners "cannot be reminded" of earlier episodes if they have forgotten them."

What are some alternatives to "cannot be reminded"?

Some alternatives include "cannot be prompted", "cannot be notified", or "cannot be recalled", depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "cannot be reminded"?

It's appropriate when emphasizing a fundamental inability to prompt someone's memory, often due to external factors or inherent limitations. This could apply to situations where information is lost or inaccessible.

Is "cannot be reminded" formal or informal?

The phrase "cannot be reminded" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it appears more frequently in writing and academic discussions.