were not reimbursed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not reimbursed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing situations where individuals or entities did not receive compensation for expenses incurred. Example: "Despite submitting all necessary receipts, the employees were not reimbursed for their travel expenses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

Their losses were not reimbursed.

The New York Times

The newsies, by the way, were not reimbursed for the "papes" they failed to sell.

The New York Times

Since November 2012, almost half said they had worked for no pay, while a further 51.9% were not reimbursed for expenses.

The Guardian

On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service announced that people with a medical diagnosis of obesity could deduct the cost of weight-loss programs as medical expenses if they were not reimbursed by insurance.

The New York Times

People who used their car in business and were not reimbursed, or who used it for charitable purposes or for visits to a doctor or hospital, may be entitled to deduct mileage costs.

The New York Times

Four National Guard members filed a class-action suit against Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the Massachusetts Guard, Gov. Mitt Romney and other military officials contending that the troops were not reimbursed for expenses while on duty after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

But until recently travelers weren't reimbursed if they simply changed their minds and decided not to go.

The New York Times - Travel

Also, remember to claim any expenses that can be legitimately claimed but weren't reimbursed by your employer.

The Guardian - Money

But this might not occur to you if you traveled on business and you weren't reimbursed for expenses.

Forbes

An additional issue with the current reimbursement system is that providers are not reimbursed for care that occurs outside encounters.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Insurance coverage will not provide reimbursement for anything missing from the list, because policyholders are not reimbursed for things they do not remember they have.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about financial policies or reports, use "were not reimbursed" to clearly indicate that expenses were not covered. This is particularly important in contexts where compensation is expected but not provided.

Common error

Avoid using "were not reimbursed" when the situation involves payment for services rendered rather than repayment for expenses incurred. Use "were not paid" instead to prevent misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not reimbursed" functions as a passive construction indicating a lack of repayment for expenses. Ludwig confirms this is a grammatically correct construction. It typically modifies a noun phrase, specifying that the subject did not receive compensation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were not reimbursed" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression indicating a lack of repayment for expenses. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is used to report a financial discrepancy or unmet expectation, with examples spanning from news articles to scientific publications. It's most frequently encountered in science and news media contexts, with a neutral to professional register. When writing, ensure the situation genuinely involves expense repayment, not general service payment, and consider alternative phrasings like "did not receive reimbursement" or "were not compensated" for clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did not receive reimbursement

Rephrases the lack of reimbursement using a more formal tone.

were not compensated

Substitutes "reimbursed" with "compensated", indicating a broader sense of payment for services or losses.

did not get repaid

Uses a simpler verb "repaid" to convey the lack of return of money spent.

did not have expenses covered

Focuses on the coverage of expenses rather than the act of reimbursement.

incurred out-of-pocket costs

Highlights the financial burden of expenses not being reimbursed.

were left to pay themselves

Emphasizes the obligation to cover costs personally due to lack of reimbursement.

did not get a refund

Specifies the absence of a refund, implying a prior payment.

bore the costs

Highlights the burden of financial responsibility.

suffered unrecompensed losses

Refers to losses that were not made up for or paid back.

funds were unreturned

Focuses on the funds not being returned, a rather rare and uncommon phrasing.

FAQs

What does "were not reimbursed" mean?

The phrase "were not reimbursed" means that someone or some entity did not receive repayment or compensation for expenses they incurred.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "were not reimbursed"?

Use "were not reimbursed" when discussing situations where someone expected to have their expenses covered but did not, such as travel costs, medical bills, or business-related expenses.

What are some alternatives to saying "were not reimbursed"?

Alternatives include "did not receive reimbursement", "were not compensated", or "did not get repaid" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "were not reimbursed" and "weren't reimbursed"?

The phrase "weren't reimbursed" is a contraction of "were not reimbursed". Both phrases have the same meaning, but "weren't reimbursed" is less formal.