was not discovered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was not discovered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something remained unknown or hidden until a certain point in time. Example: "The ancient ruins were not discovered until the early 20th century."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

His body was not discovered until May 1999.

Independent

But that was not discovered until 1901.

The New York Times - Health

Helium was not discovered on Earth until 1895.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The body was not discovered until about 22 months later".

The New York Times

How the wild-rodent intrusion came was not discovered.

The New Yorker

Movement was not discovered by 19th-century artists.

The New York Times - Arts

Dr. Dre was not "discovered" by Mr. Iovine.

The New York Times

The mutilated carcass of the male elephant was not discovered until 6am the following day.

Independent

Their disappearance was not discovered until the next full standing head count, at 5.30am.

The Guardian

It was hunting for primitive man, but he was not discovered.

The New Yorker

This was not discovered by the manufacturers or by those entrusted with the maintenance, he said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was not discovered" to emphasize the process of finding or revealing something that was previously unknown or hidden. Ensure the context clearly indicates what remained unknown and the circumstances of its eventual discovery.

Common error

Avoid overuse of passive voice constructions like "was not discovered" when active voice would be more direct and engaging. For example, instead of "The error was not discovered until later", consider "They didn't discover the error until later".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not discovered" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence underwent the action of being discovered. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically sound way to express that something remained unknown until a particular time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

29%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

13%

Huffington Post

9%

Los Angeles Times

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was not discovered" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed passive construction used to indicate that something remained unknown or hidden until a particular time. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It appears most commonly in News & Media and Science contexts, lending itself to neutral and formal registers. When aiming for more direct language, synonyms such as "remained undetected" or "went unnoticed" can be used. Remember to avoid overusing passive voice for clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not found

A simpler and more direct way of saying it remained unlocated.

went unnoticed

Emphasizes the lack of attention or observation of something.

was not identified

Focuses on the lack of recognition or naming of something.

remained unknown

Focuses on the continued state of not being known.

remained undetected

Emphasizes the lack of detection over a period, implying it stayed hidden.

eluded detection

Highlights the act of avoiding being noticed or discovered.

stayed hidden

Emphasizes the state of being concealed or out of sight.

was never revealed

Focuses on the information never being made public or known.

escaped notice

Indicates that something was not observed or paid attention to.

was not brought to light

Highlights the lack of exposure or revelation of something.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "was not discovered" to sound more active?

You could use alternatives like "remained undetected", "went unnoticed", or "stayed hidden" to give it a slightly different tone.

When is it appropriate to use "was not discovered"?

The phrase "was not discovered" is suitable when you want to emphasize that something remained unknown until a specific point in time, particularly when discussing historical events, scientific findings, or investigations.

Is there a difference between "was not discovered" and "remained undiscovered"?

While similar, "was not discovered" implies an eventual discovery, whereas "remained undiscovered" suggests that something has yet to be found or may never be found.

What are some common synonyms for "was not discovered" in academic writing?

In academic writing, you can use phrases like "was not identified", "eluded detection", or "remained unknown" to maintain a formal tone.