there was no reply

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "there was no reply" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that someone did not respond to a request, message, or statement. For example, "I sent him a text asking for help with my project but there was no reply."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

At most of the houses there was no reply, although one door was opened by a woman dressed just in a towel, which livened things up for a moment.

The Guardian

There was no reply.

The New York Times

But there was no reply.

The New York Times - Travel

This time, there was no reply.

The New Yorker

And there was no reply function.

The New York Times - Tech

He added, "There was no reply".

The New York Times

"There was no reply on behalf of Assad," he added.

The New York Times

There was no reply at the house on Sunday.

The Guardian

There was no reply at Sakina's telephone numbers.

The New York Times

He tried phoning them, but there was no reply.

The Guardian

There was no reply but a pained expression.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "there was no reply" to clearly indicate a lack of response, whether in written or verbal communication. It's concise and easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "there was no reply" when you mean the communication hasn't been delivered yet. "There was no reply" suggests the message was received but not answered, not that it's still in transit.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there was no reply" primarily functions as a declarative statement indicating the absence of a response to a communication. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this usage aligns with standard English grammar. The examples illustrate this function across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "there was no reply" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate that a communication did not receive a response. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. Predominantly found in news and media, it serves to inform about the absence of a reply, maintaining a generally neutral tone. While variations exist, like "there was no answer", the original phrase remains a direct and easily understood expression. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects that a communication was received but not answered, rather than being undelivered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there was no answer

Replaces "reply" with "answer", maintaining the same meaning of a lack of response.

there was no response

Uses "response" instead of "reply", indicating an absence of any reaction or communication.

no one answered

Shifts the focus to the absence of a person answering, implying no reply was received.

no acknowledgment was received

More formal and emphasizes the lack of any form of recognition or reply.

there was silence

Uses "silence" to indicate a lack of verbal or written response.

the call went unanswered

Specifically for phone calls, indicating no one picked up or responded.

the message was ignored

Implies the message was seen but deliberately not replied to.

nobody got back to me

Informal way of saying no one responded to a communication.

my inquiry went unheeded

More formal, suggesting a request or question was ignored.

the question remained unanswered

Emphasizes that a specific question did not receive a response.

FAQs

What does "there was no reply" mean?

The phrase "there was no reply" means that someone did not respond to a message, question, request, or other form of communication.

What can I say instead of "there was no reply"?

You can use alternatives like "there was no answer", "there was no response", or "no one answered" depending on the context.

How can I use "there was no reply" in a sentence?

You can use "there was no reply" in sentences like: "I emailed him twice, but there was no reply" or "She called out, but there was no reply".

Is it correct to say "there wasn't a reply" instead of "there was no reply"?

Both "there was no reply" and "there wasn't a reply" are grammatically correct, but "there was no reply" is generally preferred for its simplicity and directness. "There wasn't a reply" is more common when emphasizing the absence of a single, specific reply.