we have not seen

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence 'we have not seen' is correct and usable in written English.
You could use this phrase when describing something that you have not seen, or when reporting something that has not been observed. For example, "We have not seen any evidence to support the claim that the suspect is guilty."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"We have not seen it yet.

The New York Times

We have not seen advances.

The New York Times

We have not seen that before.

The Guardian

"But we have not seen it here.

The Guardian

We have not seen Planet Nine.

The Washington Post

"We have not seen a turnaround yet".

The New York Times

"We have not seen the report".

The New York Times

We have not seen that yet.

The Guardian

We have not seen an arculated lintel in built architecture.

Yale University

We have not seen anything quite like this before.

Columbia University

We have not seen this before in built architecture.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing the phrase in formal documents, ensure you clarify what consequences derive from the lack of said observation.

Common error

Avoid using "we have not seen" when you mean a lack of understanding or agreement; use phrases like "we do not understand" or "we do not agree" instead to convey the intended meaning more accurately.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we have not seen" functions as a declarative statement expressing a lack of observation or experience. It is typically used to convey that something is absent from our perception or knowledge. Ludwig confirms its correct and usable form.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we have not seen" is a versatile phrase used to express a lack of observation or experience. As Ludwig AI states, it is grammatically correct and usable across a spectrum of written English. Its usage is prevalent in News & Media, Academia, and Scientific contexts. While semantically similar alternatives like "we haven't observed" or "we have yet to see" can provide nuance, this phrase serves as a reliable and common way to convey a lack of visual or experiential evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we haven't observed

Replaces "seen" with "observed", offering a slightly more formal tone.

we have yet to see

Emphasizes that the seeing is still pending or expected in the future.

we haven't witnessed

Substitutes "seen" with "witnessed", suggesting a more direct and often impactful observation.

we've not detected

Replaces "seen" with "detected", often used in scientific or technical contexts.

we've failed to notice

Highlights a failure to observe something that may have been present.

it has escaped our notice

Shifts the focus to the thing not being seen, rather than the act of seeing itself.

we are unaware of

Indicates a lack of knowledge or information about something, rather than a lack of visual perception.

we haven't encountered

Implies a lack of meeting or experiencing something, not necessarily visual.

there's no evidence we've seen

Adds emphasis on evidence instead of simply stating it's unseen.

to our knowledge, it's unseen

Adds the phrase "to our knowledge" to explicitly make clear it's our knowledge and understanding that something is unseen.

FAQs

How can I use "we have not seen" in a sentence?

Use "we have not seen" to indicate that something has not been observed or experienced. For example, "we have not seen any improvement" suggests a lack of progress.

What's a formal alternative to "we have not seen"?

In formal contexts, consider using "we have not observed" or "we have yet to see". These phrases convey a similar meaning with a more sophisticated tone.

Is "we haven't seen" grammatically correct?

"We haven't seen" is a contraction of "we have not seen" and is perfectly acceptable in informal and many professional contexts. The uncontracted form is more formal but both are grammatically sound.

What's the difference between "we have not seen" and "we did not see"?

"We have not seen" implies a continued lack of observation up to the present, while "we did not see" refers to a specific instance in the past where observation did not occur.