despite all the protestations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite all the protestations" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs or is true regardless of the objections or claims made against it. Example: "Despite all the protestations from the community, the city council decided to proceed with the construction project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Afrikaner, despite all the protestations, implies white.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But from the scant evidence we have so far, it seems that the vast majority of Republican voters will probably vote for Trump this November, which explains why, despite all the protestation, Ryan and most of the other Republican leaders will probably find a way to do what political leaders usually do: follow.

The New Yorker

The title is literal: the narrator repeatedly makes the case that urban or suburban life is vastly preferable to the bleak deprivations of the country: "Despite all protestations to the contrary, God does not wait for us out in those trees".

The New Yorker

Which means that Bernanke, despite all his protestations that the Fed is a non-partisan institution that bases its judgements on economics rather than politics, is destined to become an important player in the election, and quite possibly a lightning rod.

The New Yorker

The mighty Sun has, despite all its protestations, been defeated by one small but core concern of feminism.

The Guardian - Opinion

For all the protestations of "sceptics", he says: "The atmosphere doesn't care.

BBC

Little wonder that his friend, the ardent spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was convinced he possessed the "divine" gift of dematerialisation, despite all Houdini's protestations to the contrary.

The Guardian - Books

Kerner says his aim was to produce a "manifesto of sexual contentment", as, despite all our protestations of openness and liberation, it becomes rapidly clear that men and women, while prepared to commit all manner of intimate acts on one another, display a reticence about communicating their sexual needs that would put a Cistercian monk to shame.

The Guardian

And, despite all their earnest protestations when one of their number does get caught doing stuff no normal person would dream of, that's the way the major parties would prefer things to stay.

The Guardian - Opinion

Oil sands are not a pretty picture, and biofuels are in all likelihood worse, despite the protestations from their supporters.

The New York Times

And does that make that comedian, Jon Stewart — despite all his protestations that what he does has nothing to do with journalism — the modern-day equivalent of Edward R. Murrow?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "despite all the protestations" to clearly indicate that an action or situation persists even when faced with strong objections or dissenting opinions. This emphasizes the resilience or determination behind the action.

Common error

Avoid using "despite all the protestations" when the objections are minor or easily dismissed. This phrase carries a sense of significant opposition, so ensure the context warrants such a strong expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite all the protestations" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a clause by introducing a circumstance that does not prevent the action or state described. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite all the protestations" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to indicate that something occurs regardless of objections. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While relatively rare, it appears primarily in news and media contexts. The phrase conveys a neutral tone and highlights a contrast between objections and an outcome. Related phrases offer variations in formality and emphasis. When writing, ensure the context warrants the strong sense of opposition implied by the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of every objection

Replaces "despite" with "in spite of" and uses "every objection" instead of "all the protestations".

regardless of all objections

Replaces "despite" with "regardless of" and uses "objections" as a direct alternative.

notwithstanding all the complaints

Uses "notwithstanding" instead of "despite" and substitutes "protestations" with "complaints".

even with all the objections

Emphasizes the presence of objections while still proceeding, using "even with".

irrespective of the dissent

Replaces the phrase with "irrespective of" followed by "the dissent", indicating disregard for disagreement.

without regard to the opposition

Expresses a lack of consideration for the opposing views or actions.

against a backdrop of complaints

Implies the action occurs while complaints are ongoing, adding a sense of context.

overlooking all the objections

Indicates a conscious decision to ignore the objections.

disregarding every expression of disapproval

Formally states that expressions of disapproval are being ignored.

paying no attention to the naysayers

Informally dismisses those who are expressing negative opinions or objections.

FAQs

How can I use "despite all the protestations" in a sentence?

You can use "despite all the protestations" to show that something happened or is true even though there were objections. For example, "Despite all the protestations from the neighbors, the company built a new factory."

What phrases are similar to "despite all the protestations"?

Similar phrases include "in spite of every objection", "regardless of all objections", and "notwithstanding all the complaints".

Is it better to use "despite" or "in spite of"?

"Despite" and "in spite of" are often interchangeable. "Despite all the protestations" and "in spite of all the protestations" carry nearly identical meaning. The choice often comes down to personal preference or stylistic considerations.

What is the nuance between "despite" and "notwithstanding"?

"Notwithstanding" is generally considered more formal than "despite". Thus, "notwithstanding all the protestations" might be more appropriate in formal or legal contexts, while "despite all the protestations" is suitable for general use.