was not recovered

USAGE SUMMARY

"was not recovered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something was not able to be found or obtained. Example: The document that was lost in the mail was not recovered.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was not recovered.

The New York Times

The body was not recovered.

The New York Times

The wreckage was not recovered.

The Washington Post

The carcass was not recovered.

The Guardian

The gun was not recovered, he said.

The New York Times

The pellet gun was not recovered.

The New York Times

The knife used was not recovered.

The New York Times

Aeromonas spp. was not recovered from certain vegetable types.

International Journal of Food Microbiology

A gun was not recovered from the scene, police said.

The Washington Post

The rest of the money was not recovered.

The New York Times

The body of one, Alisa Redmond, 24, was not recovered.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Maintain clarity by specifying the object that "was not recovered". Avoid ambiguity by providing sufficient context.

Common error

Avoid using "was not recovered" excessively in passive voice constructions. Active voice often makes sentences more direct and engaging. For example, instead of "The data was not recovered by the team", consider "The team failed to recover the data".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not recovered" functions as a passive construction indicating that an object or entity could not be retrieved or regained. Ludwig indicates this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

56%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was not recovered" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate the unsuccessful retrieval of an item or entity. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and suitable for a variety of contexts. Its register is considered neutral, allowing for use across formal and informal settings, though it is most commonly found in news and scientific publications. While acceptable, consider using active voice for directness and specify what failed to recover the object, if applicable. Related phrases like "could not be retrieved" or "remained unrecovered" offer similar meaning. When writing, make certain the context clearly specifies retrieval efforts. Consider alternatives like "was not found" when no retrieval effort was intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could not be retrieved

Emphasizes the inability to get something back, often in a technical or systematic context.

remained unrecovered

Highlights the continuous state of being lost or not found.

could not be found

Focuses on the failure to locate something that was searched for.

was not retrieved

Similar to "could not be retrieved" but less emphatic on the ability aspect.

was lost permanently

Highlights the finality of the loss, suggesting no possibility of recovery.

was irretrievable

Indicates that recovery was impossible from the outset or at some point became so.

has not been regained

Emphasizes the loss of something previously possessed and the failure to get it back.

was not salvaged

Focuses on the failure to rescue something from a potentially recoverable situation.

was not reclaimed

Suggests that something was once owned but lost, and efforts to get it back failed.

was unobtained

Highlights the failure to get or achieve something in the first place.

FAQs

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

Use "was not recovered" to indicate that something could not be found or retrieved. For example, "The stolen painting "was not recovered" by the police".

What's a more formal alternative to "was not recovered"?

A more formal alternative could be "could not be retrieved". For example, in a scientific context, "The sample "could not be retrieved" due to equipment malfunction".

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "was not recovered"?

While "was not recovered" is grammatically correct, using active voice can often make the sentence more direct. For instance, instead of "The evidence "was not recovered"", consider "Investigators did not recover the evidence".

What's the difference between "was not recovered" and "was not found"?

"Was not recovered" implies an effort to retrieve something that was lost or taken. "Was not found" simply indicates that something could not be located, without necessarily implying a retrieval effort. In many cases, "was not found" is a suitable substitute.