had not expressed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had not expressed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone did not communicate or convey something in the past. Example: "Despite the ongoing discussions, she had not expressed her true feelings about the situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Morrison says the man who died had not expressed suicidal ideation and had mental health support.

The Guardian

Wattrick said the Tigers had not expressed much interest in the effort.

The New York Times - Sports

But voters had not expressed an opinion on proportional representation, he said.

The Guardian

He was intrigued that his father had this opinion but had not expressed it to him.

The Guardian

Had she felt his innate skepticism rising, even though he had not expressed it?

The New Yorker

Ms. Roshto said her husband had not expressed similar concerns about other wells.

The New York Times

Responding to a reporter's question, the lawyer said that Mr. Perrone had not expressed remorse.

The New York Times

But he said that prosecutors had not expressed concerns about Mr. Pasciuto's safety before they were aware of the book.

The New York Times

But Mark F. Lindsay, a spokesman for the company, said it had not expressed a preference for large multistate regions.

The New York Times

Government sources told Guardian Australia the prime minister had not expressed his own view during the conversation.

The Guardian

A spokesman for Al Jazeera said that antitrust regulators had not expressed any objections to the deal.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had not expressed" to clearly indicate that someone did not communicate a particular thought, feeling, or opinion at a specific point in the past. It's often used to highlight a contrast between what someone did and did not say or do.

Common error

Avoid using "had not expressed" when a simpler past tense like "did not express" is sufficient. The past perfect tense implies that the non-expression occurred before another action or time in the past. Make sure that that relationship is clear in your sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had not expressed" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense, typically used to indicate that someone did not communicate or reveal a particular thought, feeling, or opinion before a specific point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

24%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had not expressed" is a grammatically correct and widely used verb phrase, primarily functioning to indicate that someone did not communicate a specific thought or feeling before a particular point in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is most commonly found in news and media contexts, with a neutral to formal register. When using this phrase, ensure that the past perfect tense is appropriate for the intended meaning, and consider alternatives like "did not voice" or "did not articulate" for slight variations in nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not voice

Replaces "expressed" with "voiced", focusing on verbal communication.

did not articulate

Emphasizes the lack of clear and coherent expression.

did not communicate

A broader term indicating a lack of any form of communication.

did not convey

Focuses on the absence of transmitting a particular message or feeling.

did not disclose

Implies the absence of revealing something previously hidden or unknown.

remained silent about

Highlights the act of staying quiet on a specific topic.

did not reveal

Similar to "did not disclose", but with a slightly less formal tone.

kept quiet about

Indicates a deliberate decision not to share information.

held back from saying

Suggests an internal restraint from speaking.

refrained from mentioning

Emphasizes a conscious effort to avoid a particular topic.

FAQs

How can I use "had not expressed" in a sentence?

Use "had not expressed" to indicate that someone didn't communicate or reveal something before a specific time or event in the past. For example: "She "had not expressed" her concerns until the meeting started".

What are some alternatives to "had not expressed"?

You can use alternatives like "did not voice", "did not articulate", or "did not communicate" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. See more alternatives "here", "here", and "here".

Is it ever incorrect to use "had not expressed"?

While grammatically correct, using "had not expressed" might be unnecessary if the context doesn't require the past perfect tense. In many cases, "did not express" is sufficient.

What's the difference between "had not expressed" and "did not express"?

"Had not expressed" (past perfect) refers to an action that was completed before another action in the past. "Did not express" (simple past) simply states that something wasn't expressed in the past. The choice depends on whether you need to establish a sequence of past events.