did not foreclose

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "did not foreclose" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing options, decisions, or legal matters where something has not been closed off or eliminated. Example: "The negotiations did not foreclose the possibility of reaching a compromise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

But Wilson's pragmatism did not foreclose his future progressive options.

The New York Times

But the decision did not foreclose taking the next step.

The New York Times

It did not foreclose that option in the future.

The New York Times

Those settlements did not foreclose the ability of individual smokers to pursue cases.

The New York Times

The president did not foreclose the release of more documents, officials briefed on the session said.

The New York Times

But he did not foreclose the possibility that Mr. Sudeikis would be around for the full season.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Ms. Saujani, who unsuccessfully challenged Representative Carolyn B. Maloney in 2010, defended her résumé, saying, "I didn't foreclose on homes, I didn't trade stocks, I didn't make investment decisions.

The New York Times

When these covenants are violated, banks typically do not foreclose.

The New York Times

To be clear, making a choice requires commitment but does not foreclose all other paths forward.

Harvard Business Review

The hard part is ensuring that meeting near-term needs does not foreclose fair and adequate taxation in the future.

The New York Times

Under these circumstances, petitioner's tactical decision does not foreclose the "passage of time" rationale as a ratio decidendi.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "did not foreclose", ensure the context clearly indicates what option or possibility remained open. This phrase is often used in legal, business, and strategic discussions to convey that certain paths were not completely shut down.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "did not foreclose" implies a high likelihood of something happening. It simply means the possibility remains; it doesn't guarantee or even suggest probability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did not foreclose" functions as a verb phrase expressing that a particular action or decision did not eliminate a future possibility or option. This aligns with Ludwig AI's observation that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Academia

25%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "did not foreclose" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression indicating that a possibility remained open. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It is common in "News & Media" and "Academia" contexts, conveying that an action has not eliminated future options. While similar alternatives exist, such as "did not preclude" and "did not rule out", "did not foreclose" is particularly fitting when discussing strategic or legal scenarios. Remember that using this phrase does not imply the likelihood of something occurring, only that it remains possible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not preclude

Replaces "foreclose" with "preclude", maintaining a similar level of formality but using a different verb.

did not preclude the possibility

Adds "the possibility" for emphasis, making the statement more explicit.

did not rule out

Offers a less formal alternative using "rule out" instead of "foreclose".

did not eliminate

Substitutes "foreclose" with "eliminate", suggesting that something was not entirely removed as a possibility.

did not close off

Uses a phrasal verb to convey the idea of not completely shutting down an avenue or option.

did not exclude

Indicates that something was not specifically kept out or omitted.

did not prevent

Uses "prevent" instead of "foreclose", focusing on the aspect of hindering or stopping something.

did not dismiss

Implies that something was not disregarded or rejected outright.

did not reject

Similar to "did not dismiss" but suggests a more active decision not to accept something.

left open the option

Rephrases the sentence to focus on leaving an option open rather than avoiding foreclosure.

FAQs

How can I use "did not foreclose" in a sentence?

You can use "did not foreclose" to indicate that a particular option or possibility remained open. For example, "The negotiations "did not foreclose" the possibility of reaching a compromise."

What's a more formal synonym for "did not foreclose"?

A more formal synonym for "did not foreclose" is "did not preclude". It conveys a similar meaning but is often used in more formal contexts.

Is "did not foreclose" the same as "ruled out"?

While similar, "did not foreclose" and "did not rule out" have slightly different connotations. "Did not foreclose" suggests a more formal or strategic consideration, whereas "did not rule out" can be more general.

What is the difference between "did not foreclose" and "did not prevent"?

"Did not prevent" focuses on the action of stopping something, while "did not foreclose" refers to not eliminating a possibility. For instance, "The rain "did not prevent" the game" means the game still occurred, whereas "The initial decision "did not foreclose" future appeals" means appeals were still possible.