was put off from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was put off from" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would typically be "was put off by" when indicating a feeling of annoyance or dissuasion. Example: "She was put off by his rude comments during the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Dr Chris Thorpe, head boffin (his actual title) at The Flexiscale Company, was put off from applying for TSB R&D funding for his platform to crowdsource and crowdfund 3D printed plastic kits.

The Guardian - Tech

The official launch date was put off from "sometime in the spring" to mid-July, then to late July, and there are rumours that it may get as late as September.The company says the delay is due not to technical problems but to the need to find a commercial payload.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Equally, many people are put off from signing up with a traditional card processing company because of the high fees, long-term contract commitments and bulky handsets.

TechCrunch

The researchers suspect that this may be because weaker students are put off from speculative applications.

The Economist

However, experts at the time said that women should not be put off from taking HRT.

Independent

OBAMA: We will not be put off from action because action is hard.

The Washington Post

Have you been put off from attending university due to high tuition fees?

The Guardian

The figures suggest more women than men have been put off from applying to university.

The Guardian

Womad need to address this, otherwise true music lovers will be put off from attending".

The Guardian

"No doubt the funding will be massively helpful, particularly in stopping people being put off from applying," Mr. Selby said.

The New York Times

Federer is fired up now and he's not been put off from using his serve-volley tactic.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "was put off from" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "was put off by", "was discouraged from", or "was deterred by" to maintain clarity and professionalism.

Common error

A frequent error is using "from" after "put off" due to its association with verbs like "deter" or "dissuade". Remember that "put off" typically takes "by" to indicate the cause of discouragement. For example, use "She was put off by the high price" instead of "She was put off from the high price".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was put off from" functions as a passive construction indicating discouragement or dissuasion. While its usage exists, Ludwig flags it as not following standard grammatical rules, suggesting alternatives like "was put off by".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while instances of the phrase "was put off from" can be found, it is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Ludwig AI analysis suggests that "was put off by", "was discouraged from", or "was deterred from" are preferable alternatives. The phrase appears mostly in News & Media sources, but its infrequent usage and grammatical issues suggest avoiding it in formal contexts. Remember to use the correct preposition "by" with "put off" to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was discouraged by

Uses "discouraged" instead of "put off" and the preposition "by" which is grammatically correct in this context.

was deterred by

Replaces "put off" with "deterred", which conveys a stronger sense of prevention, and employs the correct preposition "by".

was dissuaded from

Uses "dissuaded" to indicate being persuaded against something, keeping the preposition "from".

was turned off by

Similar in meaning to "put off", but uses "turned off" which can sometimes imply a stronger negative reaction and uses the correct preposition "by".

was prevented from

Focuses on the prevention aspect, emphasizing that something hindered the action, uses the preposition "from".

was discouraged to

Uses "discouraged" but with the infinitive form, leading to different construction and often incorrect usage.

felt reluctant to

Indicates a feeling of hesitation or unwillingness, rather than direct discouragement, uses the infinitive form of the verb.

lost enthusiasm for

Suggests a decline in interest or passion, rather than active discouragement, and uses the preposition "for".

had second thoughts about

Implies reconsideration and doubt, leading to potential discouragement, the construction changes to "about".

reconsidered doing

Focuses on the act of rethinking a decision, potentially leading to abandonment of the original plan, followed by a gerund.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound alternative to "was put off from"?

The phrase "was put off from" is generally considered incorrect. Alternatives like "was put off by", "was discouraged from", or "was deterred from" are more appropriate.

How can I correctly use "put off" in a sentence?

Ensure you use the correct preposition. "Put off" usually takes "by" to indicate the reason for discouragement. Example: "She was put off by the long waiting time."

Is "put off from" ever correct in English?

While occasionally found, "put off from" is not standard English. It's better to use phrases like "deterred from" or "discouraged from", or revise the sentence to use "put off by".

What's the difference between "was put off by" and "was discouraged from"?

"Was put off by" implies a feeling of aversion or dislike that causes someone to lose interest or enthusiasm. "Was discouraged from" indicates that someone was advised or persuaded not to do something. For example, you might be "put off by" a messy room, and "discouraged from" entering due to a sign.