mainly not with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly not with" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize that something is primarily not associated with a particular subject or group. Example: "The project is mainly not with the marketing team, but rather with the development team."

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I heartily agree with Kevin Carson, a left-libertarian theorist and activist, when he argues that:[T]he room for change lies mainly, not with adding further economic intervention to aid labor at the expense of capital, but rather with eliminating those policies which currently benefit capital at the expense of labor.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This is in line with previous studies showing that neuropsychological test performance is mainly not associated with the drug serum concentrations of valproate and lithium (Bora et al. 2007; Prevey et al. 1996).

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

Accordingly, participation is mainly not discussed with friends or relatives, although if it is discussed, the social environment reacts with bemusement.

BMC Medical Education

It was found that >50% of the human genome is transcribed in different cell types and that these transcripts are mainly not associated with known protein coding genes, but represent non-coding RNAs of unknown functions.

Biology Direct

Since visual imagery is usually associated with brain areas – mainly not motor – different from those associated with motor imagery (e.g., [83], [84]), one could wonder why a visual imagery task should have tapped motor representations (and thus the allegedly motor neural basis of empathic abilities).

Plosone

This result indicates that the expression of neuronal traits by the cells of donor origin was mainly not due to fusion with host cells, thereby implying a genuine transdifferentiation of the injected cells, which was induced by the host environment.

Plosone

It is probably helpful to see this problem in light of a basic disagreement that emerges in On Signs between the Epicureans and their opponents: that the Epicureans are mainly concerned, not with arriving, somehow or other, at true beliefs, but with how we can be certain that our beliefs are true, experience being the only secure foundation for any property-projection.

SEP

Including ADD in the ADHD-C+BD group reduced the differences between the ADHD-C/ADD+BD and BD groups, indicating that the attention deficit is associated with BD mainly, and not with concurrent inattentive subtype of ADHD.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Mr Ecclestone mainly negotiated it not with big car companies but with the less careful entrepreneurs who then owned the teams, getting a very good deal in the process.

The Economist

Mainly black but not with decorations.

WikiHow

In medieval and post-Reformation Europe, for example, there was considerable concern with the qualifications and background of teachers, mainly but not entirely with reference to their religious beliefs.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "mainly not with", ensure the context clearly indicates what the subject is primarily associated with, to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of "The problem is mainly not with the software", specify "The problem is mainly with the hardware configuration."

Common error

Avoid using "mainly not with" in contexts where a more direct or positive phrasing would be clearer. Overusing this phrase can make your writing sound convoluted. Instead of saying "The focus is mainly not with cost", try "The focus is on quality".

Linguistic Context

Adverbial modifier indicating primary dissociation. The phrase "mainly not with" functions to specify what something is not primarily associated with, implying a stronger connection elsewhere. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is uncommon, and care should be taken to ensure clarity. One example from Ludwig is, "The room for change lies mainly, not with adding further economic intervention to aid labor at the expense of capital, but rather with eliminating those policies which currently benefit capital at the expense of labor."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

21%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "mainly not with" is understandable, Ludwig AI flags it as not standard in written English. Although acceptable, it is preferable to use more direct and positive phrasing for clarity. As the analysis of available examples shows, the phrase is more common in scientific and news contexts, but it should be used sparingly and with attention to context. When clarity is paramount, consider alternatives like "primarily not associated with" or rephrasing the sentence to emphasize the primary association. Given its uncommon nature, careful consideration of alternatives is recommended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily not associated with

Replaces "mainly" with "primarily" for a slightly more formal tone, emphasizing the principal disassociation.

largely unrelated to

Shifts the focus to a lack of relationship rather than a direct exclusion.

mostly unconnected to

Similar to "largely unrelated to", but emphasizes a lack of connection.

generally distinct from

Highlights the separateness or difference rather than direct association.

not chiefly related to

Focuses on what is not the main relationship or association.

not primarily linked to

Emphasizes the absence of a primary link.

not so much with

Informal way to express a preference or connection with something else rather than the specified item.

more so with

Indicates a stronger association with something else.

less about

Indicates that the subject in question is secondary or of lesser importance.

peripheral to

Indicates that something is on the edge of, or not central to, a particular issue.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "mainly not with" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can replace "mainly not with" with phrases like "primarily not associated with", "largely unrelated to", or "principally distinct from". These options provide a more professional and precise expression.

Is "mainly not with" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "mainly not with" can sound somewhat awkward. It's often clearer to rephrase the sentence to emphasize the primary association or focus. For example, instead of "It's mainly not with the budget", consider "It's primarily about the timeline".

What are some common contexts where "mainly not with" is used?

"Mainly not with" can be used to express that something is primarily related to one thing and not another. However, it is more common to express that directly; for example, instead of saying "The issue is mainly not with the design team", consider "The issue is largely a question of management".

What words usually follow "mainly"?

While "mainly not with" is possible, "mainly" is more commonly followed by words like "because", "since", "as", "due to", or "in that". Alternatively, in a similar context, phrases like "primarily", "largely", or "mostly" might be more suitable.