not spared from

USAGE SUMMARY

"not spared from" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that something has not been excluded from a certain group or situation. For example: "The small village was not spared from this year's devastating wildfires."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

(Mr. Roberts was not spared from Mr. Naughton's pranks.

The New York Times

My sister also was not spared from such blows".

The New Yorker

China itself, though, is not spared from criticism, some of it bordering on the xenophobic.

The New York Times

America is a nation full of good fortune, with so much to be grateful for; but we are not spared from suffering.

The New York Times

But if the Yankees were saved from looking toward an uncertain future, they were not spared from a painful look back during a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres in front of another capacity crowd at Petco Park.

The New York Times - Sports

Even posh residential areas and industrial zones are not spared from power cuts that add to the sense of a blacked-out city cut adrift by an army bunkered down in Naypyidaw.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

Since Nov. 8, people have been shot, synagogues have been threatened, and even children aren't spared from bigotry.

Huffington Post

He added that Connecticut has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, and wasn't spared from massacre.

Huffington Post

Even an actor as popular as Steven Yeun from The Walking Dead isn't spared from Hollywood's discrimination.

Vice

Overweight boys were just as likely as girls to be bullied by their peers and, surprisingly, those with good social skills weren't spared from the bullying either.

Huffington Post

While Hawk looked comfortable on the board, he wasn't spared from a spill or two especially when the board seems to spin out of control.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not spared from" to emphasize that something, often negative or undesirable, affected a particular person, group, or thing despite possible expectations to the contrary.

Common error

Avoid using "not spared from" when simply stating a fact without intending to highlight an unexpected or unfortunate inclusion. Instead, use more neutral language if emphasis is not needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not spared from" functions as part of a predicate, typically modifying a subject to indicate that it experienced something negative or challenging, despite any potential expectations otherwise. Ludwig provides examples across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not spared from" is a common expression used to highlight that someone or something experienced an adverse event despite any implicit or explicit expectation of exemption. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently appears in news articles and scientific publications. While alternatives like "not exempt from" or "not immune to" exist, "not spared from" carries a specific emphasis on the lack of exclusion from a negative experience. When using this phrase, ensure that the context warrants the emphasis on unexpected inclusion. Remember to adjust the formality based on your writing's intended audience and purpose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not exempt from

Indicates that someone or something is not excused from an obligation or experience.

not immune to

Suggests a lack of protection against something harmful or undesirable.

not untouched by

Emphasizes that something has had an impact or effect on someone or something.

not unaffected by

Similar to "not untouched by", highlighting the presence of an influence or change.

subjected to

Implies that someone or something was forced to undergo a particular experience.

exposed to

Indicates that someone or something was in a situation where they could experience something.

vulnerable to

Highlights a weakness or susceptibility to something harmful.

a victim of

Suggests that someone or something suffered as a result of a specific event or situation.

couldn't avoid

Expresses the impossibility of escaping something.

not shielded from

Indicates a lack of protection or cover from something.

FAQs

How can I use "not spared from" in a sentence?

Use "not spared from" to indicate that someone or something experienced something negative or challenging despite any expectations to the contrary. For example, "Even the wealthy were "not spared from" the economic downturn".

What are some alternatives to "not spared from"?

You can use alternatives like "not exempt from", "not immune to", or "subjected to" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "wasn't spared from" instead of "was not spared from"?

Yes, "wasn't spared from" is a common contraction of "was not spared from" and is grammatically correct in informal contexts. However, "was not spared from" is more formal.

What's the difference between "not spared from" and "affected by"?

"Not spared from" emphasizes that something was not excluded from experiencing something negative, while "affected by" simply indicates that something was influenced or changed by something else, without necessarily implying an expected exclusion.