cannot either be

USAGE SUMMARY

"cannot either be" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something is impossible to do. For example: "I cannot either be in two places at once, so I will have to choose one event to attend."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Both situations are unsuitable for the First Principle, which cannot therefore exercise providence as its primary action, but cannot either be considered as that from which providence derives accidentally.

SEP

Moreover, as the total number and duration of actual contacts cannot either be easily guessed from the co-presence data alone, we consider the actual total contact time (T_{c}) as the (only) parameter of the sampling, and we fix it to its empirical value.

EPJ Data Science

Moreover, as patients with PD perform as well as aged matched controls [12] in obstacle avoidance tasks, the disconnection between the striatum and the SN pars compacta cannot either be involved in unsuccessful obstacle crossing observed after lesion of the striatum.

Plosone

The proposed relationships among the superfamilies cannot either be unequivocally explained on morphological grounds.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

What they could not grasp, and what I cannot, either, is the failure of the Obama Administration and its allies to take action within their power to protect hospitals, staff, and patients from these assaults.

The New Yorker

What cannot be denied either is that for anyone who witnessed his performance in Montjuïc that glorious August night in 1992, Christie's triumph truly was a stunning Olympic moment.

The Guardian - Sport

It's not even alive and therefore cannot either give consent or be an adult, legal or otherwise.

Huffington Post

In many countries, enzymes either cannot be administered, because appropriate knowledge and technical support is lacking, or cannot be reimbursed.

Core Evidence

As discussed here, all but one report either cannot be corroborated or are demonstrably erroneous.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Therefore, the results of different studies either cannot be compared or the comparison is problematic and unreliable.

European Journal of Health Economics

In that model, leukaemic stem cells cannot expand indefinitely, but cannot be eradicated either because they are intrinsically insensitive to imatinib.

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cannot either be", ensure the sentence clearly establishes the first impossibility before introducing the second. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens the negation.

Common error

Avoid using "cannot either be" when a simpler negation would suffice. Overusing this construction can make your writing sound convoluted and less impactful. Consider if a single 'cannot be' is sufficient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cannot either be" functions as a compound negative predicate. It extends a previous negation, indicating that something is not only impossible in one respect, but also impossible in another related respect. Ludwig provides examples across scientific and news contexts, indicating broad usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cannot either be" serves as a compound negation, extending a previous impossibility. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, though it is relatively rare. It appears in both scientific and news contexts, suggesting a neutral register. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in establishing the initial impossibility before adding the second, and be mindful of potential overuse. Consider alternatives such as "cannot also be" or "is not able to be either" depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot be as well

Replaces "either" with "as well", maintaining the additive negation.

cannot also be

Substitutes "either" with "also", indicating an additional impossibility.

is not able to be either

Rephrases "cannot" with "is not able to", adding a slight emphasis on ability.

is not possible to be either

Replaces "cannot" with "is not possible to", emphasizing the impossibility.

cannot in addition be

Replaces "either" with "in addition", giving a slightly more formal tone.

cannot be in any way

Broadens the negation to include "in any way", emphasizing the lack of possibility.

cannot possibly be

Adds "possibly" to emphasize the impossibility.

absolutely cannot be

Uses "absolutely" to strengthen the negation.

cannot under any circumstances be

Adds a condition to emphasize the impossibility.

is definitely not able to be

Rephrases with "is definitely not able to", adding a stronger tone.

FAQs

How do I use "cannot either be" in a sentence?

Use "cannot either be" to express that something is impossible in addition to a previously stated impossibility. For example, "The project cannot be delayed, and it "cannot either be" over budget."

What alternatives are there to "cannot either be"?

Alternatives include "cannot also be", "cannot be as well", or "is not able to be either". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more formal to say "cannot either be" or "cannot also be"?

"Cannot also be" and "cannot either be" are generally interchangeable in terms of formality. The choice often depends on the rhythm and flow of the sentence.

What is the difference between "cannot either be" and simply "cannot be"?

"Cannot either be" implies a second impossibility that builds upon a prior one. "Cannot be" is a simple negation without the additive implication. For instance, "The door "cannot be" opened" simply states a fact, while "The door "cannot either be" opened or closed" indicates two impossible states.