not by design

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not by design" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that something happened unintentionally or without a specific plan. Example: "The error occurred, but it was not by design." Alternative expressions include "not intentionally" and "not deliberately."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Not by design.

The New Yorker

That was not by design.

The Guardian - Film

"The changes are not by design.

The New York Times - Sports

"This was not by design," says Tripathi.

The Guardian

Not by design but by nature".

The New York Times - Arts

This is not by design, but it happens.

The Guardian - Opinion

Necessitate scoring with young, permeable defense (perhaps not by design).

The New York Times - Sports

Maybe not by design, maybe just because they got lucky, but things turned out nice again.

The Guardian - Sport

A Joseph has added many colours to England's coat, if not by design.

The Guardian - Sport

So does the chief executive, Lahnie Johnson, though Mr. Johnson says it is not by design.

The New York Times

This is not by design; the Yankees do not want to use the threesome so much.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not by design" when you want to emphasize that a specific outcome, though perhaps appearing structured or strategic, was actually the result of external factors or chance.

Common error

Avoid using "not by design" to describe an object that is poorly made or unattractive. The phrase refers to the intent of the occurrence (the 'why'), not the quality of a physical design (the 'how').

Linguistic Context

This is an adverbial phrase that functions to negate the intentionality of a verb or a state of being. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often appears as a predicative complement following the verb "to be" to explain the nature of a specific outcome.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Science

18%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not by design" is a sophisticated way to express that something was unintentional. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, where it serves to clarify the lack of a deliberate blueprint behind a particular event. It is a more professional alternative to phrases like "<a href="/s/by+accident" target="_blank" rel="alternative">by accident" and is particularly useful in analytical writing to distinguish between planned strategies and emergent phenomena. Whether used in sports reporting, scientific research or political commentary, it remains a clear and grammatically robust tool for any writer.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unintentionally

Uses a single adverb to convey the lack of purpose

not deliberately

Directly negates the conscious choice behind an action

by accident

A more common idiomatic way to describe an unplanned event

inadvertently

Suggests a lack of attention or an oversight leading to the result

not on purpose

A slightly more informal but widely understood equivalent

not intended

Simple verbal negation focused on the lack of original aim

without intent

Often used in legal or formal contexts to specify lack of motive

incidentally

Implies the result happened as a side effect of something else

coincidentally

Focuses on the lack of a causal plan between two events

fortuitously

Specifically denotes that the unplanned outcome was lucky or positive

FAQs

How to use 'not by design' in a sentence?

You can use it to clarify that a result was unintentional, for example: "The team ended up with three left-handed pitchers, though this was "not by design"."

What can I say instead of 'not by design'?

Depending on your tone, you can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/unintentionally" target="_blank" rel="alternative">unintentionally", "<a href="/s/by+accident" target="_blank" rel="alternative">by accident" or "<a href="/s/not+deliberately" target="_blank" rel="alternative">not deliberately".

What is the difference between 'not by design' and 'not on purpose'?

While both mean the same thing, "not by design" is more formal and often used in journalism or science, whereas "<a href="/s/not+on+purpose" target="_blank" rel="alternative">not on purpose" is better suited for everyday conversation.

Is 'not by design' correct English?

Yes, as shown in Ludwig, it is a perfectly correct and common phrase used by prestigious publications like The New York Times and The Guardian.