was disallowed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was disallowed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was not permitted or allowed in the past. Example: "The proposal was disallowed due to a lack of sufficient evidence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was disallowed, unclearly.

The Guardian - Sport

I don't know why it was disallowed.

The Guardian - Sport

"But Julio was disallowed from working".

The New York Times - Sports

He scored the goal that was disallowed.

The Guardian - Sport

Mexico's Giovani dos Santos reacts after his goal was disallowed.

The Guardian - Sport

It was disallowed, preposterously and incorrectly, for offside.

The Guardian - Sport

Then Toutai Kefu's effort was disallowed for crossing.

The Guardian - Sport

It was disallowed by a tight offside call.

The Guardian - Sport

A sign on the wall announced that smoking was disallowed.

The New York Times

Pavon then scored a goal for Honduras which was disallowed.

The New York Times - Sports

He was referring to Fedotenko's apparent goal that was disallowed Tuesday and Alex Frolov's apparent goal that was disallowed Sunday.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was disallowed" when you want to clearly state that something was not permitted or accepted, especially in formal contexts like legal or sports reporting. For instance, "The goal was disallowed due to offside."

Common error

Avoid using "was disallowed" in casual conversation or informal writing, as it can sound overly formal or stilted. Opt for simpler alternatives like "wasn't allowed" or "wasn't permitted" for a more natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was disallowed" primarily functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that something (e.g. a goal, evidence, claim) was subjected to a decision resulting in its rejection or invalidation. Ludwig AI confirms that it's a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was disallowed" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey that something was not permitted or was rejected, often due to a specific rule or criteria. Ludwig AI confirms this. Its frequency is very common, and is often found in news and media contexts. When writing, consider using it in formal scenarios or sports journalism, but opt for simpler alternatives in casual conversation. Common scenarios include describing disallowed goals in sports or inadmissible evidence in legal settings. Remember to avoid overuse in informal contexts, where it could sound unnatural.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not allowed

A more direct and general way of saying something wasn't permitted.

was prohibited

Emphasizes a formal ban or legal restriction.

was ruled out

Suggests a decision to exclude something from consideration.

was vetoed

Suggests a formal rejection by someone with authority.

was forbidden

Indicates a strong prohibition, often with moral or religious connotations.

got rejected

Focuses on the outcome of being turned down, without specifying the reason.

was turned down

Focuses on the action of refusing a request or application.

was excluded

Highlights the act of barring something from a group or process.

was deemed invalid

Implies a judgment that something lacked legal or factual basis.

was dismissed

Implies that something was rejected as unimportant or irrelevant.

FAQs

How to use "was disallowed" in a sentence?

Use "was disallowed" to indicate that something was not permitted or recognized as valid. For example, "The evidence "was disallowed" by the judge."

What can I say instead of "was disallowed"?

You can use alternatives like "was prohibited", "was rejected", or "was not allowed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "was disallowed" or "is disallowed"?

"Was disallowed" is used for past events, while "is disallowed" is for present or general rules. For example, "The goal "was disallowed" yesterday," versus "Smoking "is disallowed" in this area."

What's the difference between "was disallowed" and "was rejected"?

"Was disallowed" often implies a formal decision or rule being applied, while "was rejected" is a more general term for not being accepted. A proposal was rejected, but a goal "was disallowed" due to a specific rule violation.