it was not found

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was not found" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that was expected to be located but was unsuccessful in being discovered. Example: "After searching the entire database, it was not found."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Its presence in tobacco has not been reported previously and it was not found in any of the present STPs analyzed (Table 4).

Chemistry Central Journal

It was not found for several days.

The New York Times

It was not found in her apartment.

The New York Times

It was not found in the edible parts of tomatoes, corn or peppers, however.

The New York Times - Science

The body of Timothy Sixtus, 41, is still missing; it was not found.

The New York Times

It was not found because the London-wide role of neighbourhood policing had not reached that area by then.

Independent

On the other hand it was not found in non-nervous tissues.

Gene

This was a de novo mutation because it was not found in either parent.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Finally, although cognitive ability is predictive of status-quo bias, it was not found to reduce the sunk-cost bias.

Journal of Economic Psychology

But we could not include this variable in this analysis as it was not found for all countries and years.

Health Economics Review

It was not found correlation between the E/E ´and PAOP (p = 0.48) nor with the EVLW (p = 0.78).

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it was not found", ensure the subject "it" is clearly defined in the preceding context to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of just stating "it was not found", specify "the missing file was not found".

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on passive voice constructions like "it was not found". Active voice can often be more direct and engaging. Consider rephrasing as "researchers did not find it" to make the sentence more impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was not found" functions as a passive construction used to indicate the absence or lack of discovery of a particular subject. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. It emphasizes that a search or investigation did not yield the expected result.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it was not found" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to report the lack of discovery of something. Ludwig AI confirms this. Its usage is prevalent in scientific and news-related contexts. While typically neutral in tone, opting for the active voice might improve conciseness in some situations. Related alternatives include "it could not be located" or "it remained undiscovered" for subtle variations in meaning. Remembering to maintain clarity by explicitly defining the subject, you can use "it was not found" effectively to convey negative findings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it could not be located

Changes the verb from "found" to "located", implying a specific search.

it could not be detected

Replaces "found" with "detected", emphasizing a failure to observe or sense something.

it remained undiscovered

Uses a more formal tone with "remained" and replaces "found" with "undiscovered", stressing the continued lack of finding.

it turned up missing

Shifts the focus to the item's state of being "missing" rather than the action of finding it.

it was absent

Simplifies the phrase to a statement of absence.

it was not identified

Emphasizes the lack of recognition or identification.

it eluded detection

A more sophisticated phrasing, implying that the thing actively avoided being found.

it proved untraceable

Focuses on the inability to trace or track something.

no trace of it was found

Reorders the sentence to emphasize the complete absence of any trace.

the search yielded nothing

Indicates that the act of searching was unsuccessful in finding anything.

FAQs

How can I use "it was not found" in a sentence?

Use "it was not found" to indicate that something was searched for but not located. For example, "Despite a thorough investigation, "it was not found" in the database".

What can I say instead of "it was not found"?

You can use alternatives like "it could not be located", "it remained undiscovered", or "it was absent", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "it was not found" or "it wasn't found"?

Both "it was not found" and "it wasn't found" are grammatically correct. The contracted form "it wasn't found" is more informal.

What's the difference between "it was not found" and "it was not detected"?

"It was not found" generally refers to a failure to locate something physically or within a specific area. "It was not detected" implies a failure to perceive or measure something, often through scientific instruments or methods. Thus, "it could not be detected" is preferable when talking about a signal or a substance for example.