could not be held

USAGE SUMMARY

"could not be held" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express the idea that something was not possible to do, either because it was not allowed or because the conditions were not right. For example: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the concert planned for tonight could not be held.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

They said the youngest could not be held criminally responsible.

The New York Times

Judge Radford told Hutchinson-Foster he could not be held responsible for what happened later.

Independent

A federal judge recently ruled that such witnesses could not be held indefinitely.

The Economist

This year, the Bahrain race could not be held because of the Gulf state's political problems.

The New York Times - Sports

But it has argued that it could not be held responsible for its partners' actions.

The New York Times

Radford told Hutchinson-Foster he could not be held responsible for what happened later.

The Guardian

Mr. Kadyrov, however, said the referendum could not be held until after the troops withdrew.

The New York Times

The ASRS held that because it was neither a corporation nor an individual it could not be held liable.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In July, they defeated the government's plea that it could not be held liable for official actions at the time.

Independent

However, commanders did not like the practice because newsmen often could not be held accountable for what they wrote.

The New York Times

Even if Mr Berlusconi leaves office in a matter of days, an election could not be held until January.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "could not be held" to indicate a lack of responsibility, ensure the context clearly specifies who or what could not be held responsible and for what action or outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "could not be held" in situations where the responsibility is merely unclear, rather than definitively absent. The phrase indicates a lack of accountability, not just a lack of evidence.

Linguistic Context

"Could not be held" primarily functions as a modal passive construction, indicating an inability or impossibility of something being 'held' in either a literal or figurative sense (responsibility, containment, etc.). Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in legal, physical, and abstract contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "could not be held" is a versatile phrase used to express the impossibility of holding, containing, or considering someone or something responsible. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely used. The phrase appears frequently in News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, indicating its broad applicability. Related phrases include "could not be contained" and "could not be considered liable". When using this phrase, ensure clarity about the scope of responsibility and avoid confusing lack of clarity with a definitive lack of accountability. The frequency of this term is considered very common.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could not be contained

This alternative emphasizes the inability to keep something within specific limits or boundaries, similar to the literal sense of "held".

could not be restrained

This alternative focuses on the lack of ability to control or restrict someone or something.

could not be considered liable

This alternative refers specifically to a lack of legal responsibility for actions or damages.

could not be deemed accountable

This alternative relates to not being answerable or responsible for something.

was impossible to maintain

This alternative emphasizes the infeasibility of preserving or continuing something.

was not possible to sustain

Highlights the inability to keep something going or to support it.

could not be maintained

Focuses on the inability to keep something in its current state or condition.

could not be preserved

This alternative emphasizes the inability to save something from decay or loss.

could not be forced

Emphasizes the lack of capacity to compel a certain action or outcome.

was not amenable to

This alternative implies that something was not receptive or agreeable to a particular action or idea.

FAQs

How can I use "could not be held" in a sentence?

You can use "could not be held" to express that someone or something cannot be considered responsible or contained in a particular situation. For example, "The company "could not be held" liable for the actions of its franchisees".

What phrases are similar in meaning to "could not be held"?

Similar phrases include "could not be contained", "could not be restrained", or "could not be considered liable", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "could not be hold" instead of "could not be held"?

No, the correct phrase is "could not be held". "Hold" is the base form of the verb, while "held" is the past participle, which is needed after "be" in this passive construction.

What does it mean when something "could not be held" responsible?

It means that, legally or morally, the entity in question is not deemed accountable or liable for a particular action, outcome, or situation. This might be due to lack of direct involvement, intervening factors, or legal exemptions.