in neither instance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in neither instance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something does not apply in two specific situations or examples being discussed. Example: "In neither instance did the results meet our expectations, leading us to reconsider our approach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

In neither instance did the reporter have a parent's permission to ask the questions.

The New York Times

In neither instance did he hang any flesh on these bones.

The New York Times

In neither instance, incidentally, were they aware that they were dealing with someone who had the luxury of making a complaint known in a newspaper column.

The New York Times

In neither instance would aid actually be driving growth.To get around this problem, economists have long hunted for a factor that affects the amount of aid disbursed but is not otherwise correlated with growth an "instrumental variable", in the jargon.

The Economist

While more homicides occurred on Saturday than any other day, and from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. than any other hour, in neither instance did they constitute a majority of the homicides.

The New York Times

(At this time, Brando was, of course, a bachelor, who had, upon occasion, indulged in engagements of a quasi-official character — once to an aspiring authoress and actress, by name Miss Blossom Plumb, and again, with more public attention, to Mlle. Josanne Mariani-Bérenger, a French fisherman's daughter. But in neither instance were banns ever posted.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

In Germany, neither instances of violence nor the consequences of violence in the nursing and healthcare professions have yet been recorded systematically.

BMJ Open

In neither case did the first instance of insubordination lead to dismissal.

Huffington Post

In this instance, neither the biased author nor the anonymous reader is a trained professional reviewer.

The New York Times - Tech

But he said, "Neither in this instance nor in any other has Little League discriminated against anybody for anything".

The New York Times

There is nothing especially unusual about that, of course - except that in this instance neither the accused nor his alleged victim had ever met the object of their affections, nor did they plan to do so.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "in neither instance", ensure that you have clearly defined the two instances you are referring to, to avoid ambiguity. It is best suited for formal writing and should be used when you want to emphasize that something did not happen in either of two specific situations.

Common error

Avoid using "in neither instance" when referring to a single event or situation. This phrase is specifically for contrasting two instances. For a single case, use "in no instance" or "in this instance... not".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in neither instance" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a clause by specifying the absence of a particular condition or event in two distinct cases. It provides a negative constraint on the applicability of a statement.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "in neither instance" is a grammatically correct and formal phrase used to indicate that something did not occur in two specific situations. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides various examples from reliable sources such as The New York Times and The Economist. While not overly common, it is suitable for formal writing and situations where precision is needed. Alternatives like "in neither case" or "in neither situation" can be used to convey a similar meaning. Avoid misusing it with singular nouns, as the phrase is meant for contrasting two distinct instances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in neither case

Replaces "instance" with "case", emphasizing the specific occurrence or situation.

in neither situation

Substitutes "instance" with "situation", highlighting the circumstances.

in neither event

Replaces "instance" with "event", focusing on the specific occurrence.

on neither occasion

Uses "occasion" instead of "instance", highlighting the specific time something happened.

not in either situation

Rephrases the sentence to start with "not", changing the structure but keeping the meaning.

in no instance

Shortens the phrase, omitting "neither" to emphasize a complete absence in any single case.

in none of the cases

Emphasizes the lack of occurrence across multiple cases.

on no occasion

Highlights the absence of occurrence at any specific time.

in both cases... not

Reverses the structure to state the cases and then negate the occurrence.

under no circumstances

Shifts the focus to a broader condition under which something never occurs.

FAQs

How can I use "in neither instance" in a sentence?

You can use "in neither instance" to indicate that something did not occur or was not true in two specific situations. For example, "In the first experiment, the compound did not react, and in the second, it remained inert; in neither instance did we observe the desired effect."

What does "in neither instance" mean?

The phrase "in neither instance" means that something did not happen or apply in either of two specific cases or situations that you are referring to. It's a way of saying that a particular condition or outcome was absent in both instances.

What are some alternatives to "in neither instance"?

Alternatives to "in neither instance" include "in neither case", "in neither situation", "on neither occasion", or "in no instance". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "in neither instance" formal or informal?

"In neither instance" is generally considered a formal phrase. In more casual contexts, you might prefer simpler alternatives like "not in either case" or rephrase the sentence for greater clarity.