never conceived of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "never conceived of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express the idea that something was not previously imagined, considered, or anticipated. For example, "She couldn't have ever conceived of the outcome of her decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Or never conceived of until that moment.

The New York Times

And they find things that the initial discoverers never conceived of".

The New Yorker

That's an amount of money that the family have probably never conceived of in their life".

The Guardian

"BT, Virgin and Sky operate in a way that was never conceived of by the current system of regulation.

The Guardian

You might not buy this, but I never conceived of my first three films as genre films.

The New Yorker

The problem was that they were never conceived of to prevent the "epidemic" of concussions in the game.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

They never conceive of giving an actor something unusual.

The Guardian - Film

And I could never conceive of not voting for whoever my husband was for".

The New York Times

Tovah hated hats, or could never conceive of a hat that would suit her, except maybe a floppy straw thing she could wear to the beach with sunglasses and coquettishly unflattering sandals.

The New Yorker

"It was something I'd never conceive of doing on my own, but it was one of the best singular bites that came out of doing three years [working alongside the machine].". Watson approaches cooking with a scientific mindset, looking at the role individual ingredients serve in a recipe, and focusing down on the specific aspects of their composition which makes them work.

The Guardian - Tech

He also marveled at the fact that his daughters, who had friends with gay parents, could never conceive of gay marriage being controversial.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "never conceived of", ensure that the subject has the capacity for conception or imagination to make the statement logical and impactful.

Common error

Avoid using "never conceived of" when referring to events that were simply unlikely or improbable, rather than genuinely beyond the realm of possibility for the person or people involved. Use alternatives like "never expected" or "never anticipated" for more common situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "never conceived of" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a lack of prior imagination or consideration. As Ludwig examples show, it emphasizes that something was entirely outside a person's realm of possibility.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "never conceived of" is a powerful way to express that something was utterly unimaginable or unforeseen. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English. The phrase is most commonly found in news and media, highlighting the unexpected nature of events, but also appears in scientific and formal business contexts. When using "never conceived of", ensure the subject has the capacity for conception, and consider alternatives like "never imagined" or "never considered" to add nuance or formality. Understanding the contexts and alternatives ensures clarity and impact when using the phrase in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

never imagined

Focuses on the lack of prior imagination rather than the initial conceptualization.

never envisioned

Emphasizes a lack of visual foresight or planning.

never anticipated

Focuses on the lack of expectation or prediction.

never foreseen

Emphasizes that something could not be predicted.

never contemplated

Highlights the absence of thoughtful consideration.

never considered

Stresses that something was not taken into account or thought about.

never dreamt of

Implies a lack of even considering something as a possibility, often with a positive connotation.

unthinkable

Conveys the idea that something was beyond the realm of possibility or acceptability.

inconceivable

Emphasizes the difficulty or impossibility of imagining something.

beyond comprehension

Highlights that something is difficult to understand or grasp.

FAQs

How can I use "never conceived of" in a sentence?

You can use "never conceived of" to indicate that someone didn't imagine or consider something as a possibility. For instance, "She "never conceived of" becoming a CEO when she started her career".

What's a good alternative to "never conceived of"?

Alternatives include "never imagined", "never considered", or "never dreamt of", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "never conceived of" formal or informal?

"Never conceived of" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

What's the difference between "never conceived of" and "never thought of"?

"Never conceived of" implies a deeper level of impossibility or being beyond one's imagination. "Never thought of" simply means something wasn't considered, but it doesn't necessarily mean it was unimaginable.