was not indispensable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was not indispensable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was not essential or necessary in a particular context. Example: "While the project was successful, the additional funding was not indispensable to its completion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

However, the shadow foreign secretary, Douglas Alexander, said such a resolution was not indispensable to future Labour support, a position that would have handed a veto to Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The Guardian

Conclusion: BSN regular Mary Matalin, traveling this week, perhaps put it best in Slaughter's article: She said that her aha moment came when she left the Bush 43 White House because "while she was was indispensable to her young daughters, she was not indispensable to her president".

Huffington Post

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast was not indispensable for inclusion in the present study.

BMC Cancer

This indicates that VL suppression was not indispensable to the recovery of the immune system in vertically HIV-infected children.

BMC Infectious Diseases

A recent study reported that LGP2 was not indispensable for the activation of innate immune responses against viral infection but was essential for controlling antigen-specific CD8 T-cell survival and fitness during peripheral T-cell-number expansion against viral infection [ 55].

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"The Americans are not indispensable".

The New York Times

He is not indispensable.

The Guardian - Sport

"Ecologically, the bear is not indispensable," he said.

The New York Times

I'm not indispensable at my job but, like, I'm kind of the office mascot.

The New Yorker

While the idea of a public plan makes good sense to us, it is not indispensable.

The New York Times

President Assad is not indispensable, and we have absolutely nothing invested in him remaining in power".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was not indispensable" to clearly communicate that something was helpful or contributed to a situation without being absolutely necessary for its success or completion.

Common error

Avoid using "was not indispensable" when the subject was, in fact, essential. Ensure your wording accurately reflects the level of necessity; using it incorrectly can mislead your audience about the true importance of something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not indispensable" functions as a predicate adjective, modifying the subject of a sentence to indicate that it was not absolutely necessary or essential. Ludwig examples show its usage in various contexts like political decisions and scientific studies.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

60%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was not indispensable" is a grammatically sound and useful expression indicating that something isn't absolutely necessary. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. While not particularly frequent, its meaning is clear and it can be replaced with options like "was not essential" or "was not crucial", to convey similar shades of meaning. It's commonly found in both news and scientific contexts and serves to downplay the critical nature of a subject. Ensure proper usage to accurately reflect the intended level of necessity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not essential

Focuses on the lack of necessity, similar to indispensable but with a slightly weaker connotation.

was not crucial

Highlights the non-critical nature of something, implying it's not vital for success.

was not vital

Emphasizes that something wasn't a must-have or life-sustaining element.

was not required

Indicates the absence of a mandatory condition or prerequisite.

was not obligatory

Similar to 'not required', stressing the lack of a binding obligation.

was not mandatory

Synonymous with 'not obligatory', underlining the absence of a compulsory element.

was not paramount

Suggests that something, while possibly helpful, didn't hold primary importance.

was not significant

Highlights the lack of notable impact or consequence.

was not fundamental

Stresses that something wasn't a basic or foundational element.

was not key

Indicates that something was not a critical factor in achieving a particular outcome.

FAQs

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

You can use "was not indispensable" to indicate that something was not absolutely necessary. For instance, "Although helpful, the extra funding "was not indispensable" for the project's completion".

What are some alternatives to "was not indispensable"?

Alternatives include "was not essential", "was not crucial", or "was not required". Each emphasizes the lack of necessity in slightly different ways.

Is it grammatically correct to say "was not indispensable"?

Yes, "was not indispensable" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English sentence structure and is widely accepted in both formal and informal contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig.

What's the nuance between "was not indispensable" and "was not important"?

"Was not indispensable" suggests something wasn't absolutely necessary, but it might still have been helpful or beneficial. "Was not important" implies a lack of significance altogether. Therefore, the former acknowledges potential value, while the latter denies it.