was not closed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was not closed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something remained open or was not shut at a specific time in the past. Example: "The door was not closed when I arrived, which allowed the cold air to enter the room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

State Senate President Lane Beattie acknowledged that, "yes, the meeting was illegal in that it was not closed properly". But he defended the lawmakers' right to meet behind closed doors over the matter because it involved potential litigation.

Los Angeles Times

The case, she concluded, was not closed.

The New Yorker

The door was not closed on any eventuality.

The Guardian - Sport

The resort's Dolphin Casino was not closed by the storm.

The New York Times - Travel

The inquiry into Mr. Schwartz was not closed until 1999.

The New York Times

Back then, the much smaller subway system was not closed.

The New York Times

But Aki-Yurt was not closed because of the cost.

The New York Times

Although stressing she was not involved in the discussions, Jourová said the matter was not closed.

The Guardian - Tech

Sabbatini made it clear that the matter, in his mind, was not closed.

The New York Times - Sports

Employees were not tested and the mail center was not closed.

The New York Times

The college of economics and business where Soraya studied was not closed.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was not closed" to clearly indicate that something remained in an open state or that a process wasn't completed at a particular point in time. This phrase is suitable for both literal and figurative contexts.

Common error

Avoid confusing "was not closed" with "is not closed" or "will not be closed". "Was not closed" refers to a past state, while the others refer to the present and future, respectively.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not closed" functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating that a particular subject did not undergo the action of being closed at a certain point in the past. This is supported by Ludwig, which confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

32%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was not closed" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to indicate that something remained open or unfinished in the past. Ludwig confirms its correctness and common usage across diverse contexts. It's frequently found in news reports, scientific articles, and other forms of writing. When using this phrase, ensure that the tense aligns with the intended meaning and consider alternatives like "remained open" or "was left open" to provide subtle variations in emphasis. The phrase maintains a neutral tone, making it suitable for formal and informal communication, while formal language will likely be more common in Academia and Scientific documents.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not shut

Uses "shut" instead of "closed", providing a direct synonym.

remained open

Focuses on the state of being open, rather than the action of not closing.

was left open

Emphasizes the lack of action to close something.

was left ajar

Specifies a partially open state.

was unsecured

Highlights the lack of security, implying it was not properly closed or fastened.

was unsealed

Focuses on the state of not being sealed, indicating a lack of closure in a more formal sense.

had not been concluded

Focuses on the absence of a conclusion or resolution.

was not finalized

Indicates that a process or agreement wasn't brought to a conclusion.

had not been resolved

Emphasizes the lack of a resolution to a problem or issue.

was still pending

Highlights that something remains unresolved or incomplete.

FAQs

How can I use "was not closed" in a sentence?

You can use "was not closed" to indicate that something remained open or unfinished at a certain point in the past. For example, "The investigation "was not closed" due to lack of evidence".

What is the difference between "was not closed" and "remained open"?

"Was not closed" focuses on the absence of the action of closing, while "remained open" emphasizes the continuing state of being open. They are often interchangeable, but the subtle difference in focus may make one more appropriate than the other in certain contexts.

What are some alternatives to "was not closed"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "remained open", "was left open", or "was not shut" instead of "was not closed".

When is it appropriate to use "was not closed" in formal writing?

"Was not closed" is suitable for formal writing when you need to clearly and directly state that something was not in a closed state at a specific time in the past. It is a neutral and unambiguous phrase.