made no reply

USAGE SUMMARY

"made no reply" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone was asked a question, but they did not respond. For example: She asked him why he had left without a word, but he made no reply.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

I made no reply.

The New Yorker

Poeller, swallowing hard, made no reply.

The New Yorker

Beyond the power of thinking, I made no reply.

The New Yorker

Like McConnell, the man in the convertible made no reply.

The Washington Post

The man, who made no reply, was then taken to the police station.

The New York Times

The news organization of CBS made no reply, proposed no healing.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

I would make no reply.

The New York Times

When he gives a talk at Barnard, a "sweet creature" cozies up to him and coos in his ear, "How do you like being the belle of New York?" "It was so true, and so gratifying, that it crimsoned me with blushes, and I could make no reply," he writes.

The New Yorker

Ms. Worden gives expressive voice to the same anxieties that troubled 17th-century philosophers like René Descartes and Blaise Pascal, in music that alternates between ornamental prettiness and slow-raging panic: "If I can't rely on my body, can I trust mine own pertheption?" she asks with an oddly childlike lisp, and "Does the soul remain/after the body dies?" The pop divinities make no reply.

The New York Times - Arts

Iraq made no significant reply.

The Washington Post

PEKING — The Chinese Government has made no formal reply to Great Britain's Note with regard to Tibet, its opinions being conveyed verbally by the Secretary of the Foreign Office to the British Legation.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made no reply" to emphasize a deliberate choice not to respond, particularly in situations where a response might be expected or required.

Common error

Avoid using "made no reply" when the lack of response is due to genuine ignorance or lack of awareness, rather than a conscious decision to remain silent. Choose other phrases like "was unaware" or "did not know" to convey the true meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made no reply" functions as a verbal phrase, indicating the absence of a response. As evidenced by Ludwig, this phrase is commonly used to describe a deliberate act of not answering.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "made no reply" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that indicates a lack of response, often implying a deliberate choice to remain silent. Ludwig's analysis shows that it is commonly found in news media, scientific articles, and general writing. While alternatives like "offered no response" or "remained silent" exist, "made no reply" is a direct and effective way to convey a lack of verbal engagement. Remember to use it when the silence is intentional and not due to ignorance. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a correct and usable phrase in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offered no response

Focuses on the lack of offering any response, verbal or otherwise.

gave no answer

Emphasizes the absence of an answer to a question or query.

remained silent

Highlights the state of being silent, implying a refusal to speak.

did not answer

Simple and direct way of saying someone didn't provide an answer.

said nothing

Directly states the absence of any verbal communication.

kept mum

Informal way of saying someone remained silent, often implying secrecy.

stayed mute

Highlights the lack of speech, often due to choice or circumstance.

withheld comment

Indicates a deliberate decision not to comment or provide information.

declined to respond

A more formal way of stating someone refused to give a response.

refused to answer

Emphasizes the refusal to provide an answer.

FAQs

How can I use "made no reply" in a sentence?

You can use "made no reply" to indicate a deliberate lack of response. For example: "When questioned about the missing funds, the accountant "made no reply"."

What is a more formal alternative to "made no reply"?

A more formal alternative would be "declined to respond" or "offered no response", which are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is there a difference between "made no reply" and "did not respond"?

While similar, "made no reply" often suggests a more conscious decision to remain silent, whereas "did not respond" could imply a lack of awareness or opportunity to respond.

When is it appropriate to use "remained silent" instead of "made no reply"?

"Remained silent" can be used when you want to emphasize the continued state of silence, whereas ""made no reply"" focuses on a specific instance where a response was expected.