were not received

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not received" is correct and usable in written English.
It's a past-tense phrase used to indicate that something was not received, received, obtained, or accepted. Example: My emails were not received, so I had to resend them.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In this way, the receiver will know which packets were not received and need to be retransmitted.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Their antics, of course, were not received lightly.

The New York Times

"They were not received well," said one city official.

The New York Times

He showed about 50 paintings, but these were not received any more favourably than before.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The suit says the rebate checks were not received until last month and seeks to have CompuServe pay interest.

The New York Times - Tech

They behaved very well but were not received by local people & moved away in a year's time.

The New Yorker

Funds from a 100 million euro share issue anticipated in April were not received until July and had also hit sales, the company said.

The Guardian - Business

But in case they were not received, supervisors at Nassau County's public hospital network started gingerly informing the 353 workers today that they were being laid off.

The New York Times

His recent statements backing up former Davis Cup teammate Bernard Tomic after he railed against Tennis Australia and Pat Rafter were not received well either.

The Guardian - Sport

Two letters sent by Davies on the subject of Carol Thatcher's infamous "golliwog" comment were not received by the commission, the correspondence shows.

The Guardian

They were not received at No 10, but the duty policeman, Sergeant Garnham of Cannon Row, said that two of them could deliver a written message.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were not received", ensure the context clearly indicates what was expected to be received. This helps avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Ensure that the subject agrees in number with the verb. A common mistake is using "was not received" when referring to multiple items. Instead, use "were not received".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not received" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence did not undergo the action of being received. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples illustrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

41%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were not received" is a common and grammatically sound passive construction used to indicate that something was not obtained or delivered as expected. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage spans across diverse contexts, particularly in news, scientific, and formal communication, although its appearance in encyclopedias is also common. The phrase conveys a sense of absence of reception and can be rephrased using alternatives like "did not arrive" or "weren't delivered" depending on the specific nuance you aim to convey. When using "were not received", ensure correct subject-verb agreement to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not arrive

Simply states that something failed to reach its destination, without specifying a reason.

never reached

Highlights that something did not successfully get to its destination.

didn't get through

This alternative focuses on the failure of something to reach its intended destination or recipient.

weren't delivered

Implies a failure in the delivery process, suggesting that something was not successfully transported to its destination.

failed to be delivered

A more formal way of saying "weren't delivered", emphasizing the failure aspect.

were not accepted

Highlights a lack of acceptance or approval, rather than just the physical act of receiving.

were not acknowledged

Focuses on the lack of recognition or acknowledgement of something, rather than its physical receipt.

were not obtained

Indicates a failure to acquire or get possession of something.

were not secured

Focuses on not obtaining something safely and successfully, often implying an effort was made.

were not procured

A formal term indicating a failure to acquire something through specific means or effort.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "were not received"?

You can use alternatives such as "did not arrive", "weren't delivered", or "were not accepted" depending on the specific context.

What does it mean when something "were not received"?

It means that something that was expected or intended to be obtained or delivered did not reach its destination or was not obtained by the intended recipient.

Is it better to say "were not received" or "did not receive"?

The choice depends on the sentence structure. "Were not received" is passive voice, while "did not receive" is active voice. Use whichever voice is more appropriate for your writing style and clarity.

When is it appropriate to use "were not received" in a sentence?

It is appropriate when you want to emphasize the object that did not arrive or was not obtained, rather than the person or entity that should have received it. For example, "The documents "were not received" on time."