did not even

USAGE SUMMARY

"did not even" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it as part of a sentence when you want to emphasize that something did not happen, even after other attempts have been made. For example: "We tried to recruit new employees, but did not even get a single applicant."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Miller did not even smile.

The Guardian

Ovechkin did not even wait.

The New York Times - Sports

I did not even wave.

The New Yorker

He did not even try.

The Economist

Dzhokhar did not even write.

The New York Times

Did not even see it!

University of California, Berkeley

He did not even coin the name.

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

Yet Fister did not even fall.

The New York Times - Sports

And lo: she did not even respond.

The New Yorker

They did not even bother on Sunday.

The New York Times

It did not even mention slavery.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "did not even" to emphasize the unexpected absence of an action, especially when it might have been reasonably expected. For instance, "Despite the loud music, he did not even flinch."

Common error

Avoid using "did not even" when a simpler negation suffices. For example, instead of "He did not even try", "He didn't try" might be more concise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did not even" functions as an intensifier of negation. It emphasizes the absence of an action or event, often suggesting surprise or disbelief that the action did not occur. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "did not even" is a common and grammatically sound way to emphasize the absence of an action or event. Ludwig AI validates this assessment, confirming its correct usage across various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media, this phrase serves to highlight omissions or unexpected inactions, conveying surprise or disbelief. While versatile, it's best used when emphasizing a lack of action that might have been expected, and should be used sparingly in simple negations where brevity is preferred. Remember it's often more useful to simply provide an alternative with a similar meaning when writing and if the meaning is interchangeable you'll be making your point well with phrases such as "didn't bother to" or "made no attempt to".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

didn't bother to

Implies a lack of effort or willingness to do something; suggests a conscious decision not to act.

made no attempt to

Emphasizes the complete absence of any effort or try to perform an action.

didn't so much as

Highlights the minimal action that was not performed, often implying surprise or disapproval.

failed to even

Stresses the failure to achieve something, adding a sense of inadequacy.

never once

Indicates that something did not happen at any time, focusing on the duration.

not once did they

Similar to 'never once', but with a more formal tone and inverted structure for emphasis.

absolutely didn't

Emphasizes the negation with 'absolutely', indicating a strong denial.

by no means

Expresses a strong negation or denial, indicating that something is definitely not the case.

far from

Indicates that something is the opposite of what might be expected, introducing a contrast.

not in the slightest

Conveys a complete lack of something, indicating that something is not present to any degree.

FAQs

How can I use "did not even" in a sentence to show surprise?

You can use "did not even" to emphasize the absence of an expected action. For instance, "Despite the intense pressure, she "did not even hesitate"" indicates surprise at her decisiveness.

What's the difference between "did not even" and "didn't bother to"?

"Did not even" emphasizes the lack of an action, while "didn't bother to" implies a conscious decision not to act. For example, "He "did not even call"" simply states he didn't call, whereas "He "didn't bother to call"" suggests he intentionally avoided calling.

What are some alternatives to "did not even" for formal writing?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "made no attempt to", or "failed to even". For instance, instead of "He did not even acknowledge the letter", you could say "He "made no attempt to acknowledge the letter"".

Is it always necessary to use "even" with "did not"?

No, "even" adds emphasis but isn't always necessary. "He did not try" is a perfectly valid sentence. "He "did not even try"" stresses the unexpected lack of effort.