were not acquired

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not acquired" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was not obtained or received in the past. Example: "The necessary resources were not acquired in time for the project deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Identified N-glycosylation and proteome signatures were not acquired from a healthy control group.

Nature

In addition, cardiac and respiratory-related fluctuations in BOLD signal were not acquired.

Nature

But the two were not acquired only in the hopes that they would put up nice pitching lines.

The New York Times

Comparing with methods based on the NMR logs, the proposed technique is much universally applicable in tight sandstone reservoirs pore structure evaluation in formations with which field NMR logs were not acquired.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

Minor discrepancies were to be expected between sensor platforms as the images were not acquired at the same time or day. Figure 3: Estimate of NDVI bias between Landsat sensors, represented at three subregions of northern Alaska.

Nature

The data for 1999 were not acquired due to constraints in analytical work.

Applied Water Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

For the most part, the toy soldiers in those collections weren't acquired in childhood.

Forbes

Actually, I'm very surprised they weren't acquired this year.

Huffington Post

Such ease was not acquired without effort.

The New Yorker

Lofton was not acquired to be a spare part.

The New York Times - Sports

But Connor's possession was not acquired in that way.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were not acquired", ensure the context clearly indicates what was not obtained and why. This improves clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "were not acquired" when an active voice construction would be more direct and clear. For example, instead of "The data were not acquired by the team", consider "The team did not acquire the data".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not acquired" functions as a passive construction indicating the absence of an action performed on a subject. It's used to specify that something did not come into possession or was not obtained. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

80%

News & Media

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were not acquired" is a grammatically correct passive construction used to express that something was not obtained. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears most frequently in scientific contexts, with occasional use in news and media and on wikis. While alternatives like "were not obtained" or "were not secured" exist, the best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember to consider the active voice as a more direct alternative for increased clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were not obtained

Focuses on the act of gaining possession, similar to "were not acquired".

were not attained

Emphasizes reaching a certain level or achievement, sharing the idea of not gaining something.

were not secured

Highlights the aspect of ensuring something is obtained, similar to "were not acquired".

were not procured

Focuses on the process of obtaining something, often through specific means, mirroring the concept of "were not acquired".

were not received

Highlights the action of getting something, like a payment or a letter.

were not gained

Focuses on the idea of obtaining an advantage, benefit, or increase, which is a specific type of acquisition.

were not purchased

Emphasizes that the objects were not obtained through buying them.

were not inherited

Underlines that the objects were not obtained by means of inheritance.

were not captured

Emphasizes the act of seizing or taking control, which is a more forceful type of acquisition.

were not collected

Focuses on gathering multiple items, representing a specific manner of acquiring things.

FAQs

What does "were not acquired" mean?

The phrase "were not acquired" means that something was not obtained, gained, or received. It indicates a lack of possession or attainment.

What can I say instead of "were not acquired"?

You can use alternatives like "were not obtained", "were not attained", or "were not secured" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "were not acquired" or "did not acquire"?

The choice between "were not acquired" and "did not acquire" depends on whether you want to emphasize the object that was not obtained (passive voice: "were not acquired") or the subject who failed to obtain it (active voice: "did not acquire").

What is the difference between "were not acquired" and "were not received"?

"Were not acquired" implies a broader range of methods for obtaining something, while "were not received" specifically indicates that something was not delivered or given.