were not significant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not significant" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are discussing the importance or impact of something, indicating that it did not have a meaningful effect. Example: "The results of the experiment showed that the changes in temperature were not significant, suggesting that other factors may have influenced the outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But he insisted that the defections were not "significant".

The New York Times

Interaction terms were not significant.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Genotype effects were not significant.

Rice

However, results were not significant.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

Changes in these parameters were not significant.

Animal Reproduction Science

Differences between groups were not significant.

Annals of Intensive Care

All other control variables were not significant.

Business Research

These differences were not significant (Fig. 4).

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

However, these differences were not significant.

Crime Science

However, most interactions were not significant.

Learning and Individual Differences

The rest direct effects were not significant.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were not significant" to clearly and concisely state that observed differences or effects are statistically or practically unimportant. Ensure this statement is supported by appropriate data or analysis.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "were not significant" automatically means there's no effect whatsoever. It simply means the observed effect wasn't strong enough to rule out chance. There still may be an effect, but more data is needed to confirm it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not significant" primarily functions as a declarative statement indicating the absence of statistical or practical importance. As Ludwig AI's analysis suggests, it's commonly used to report findings in various studies.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were not significant" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, particularly in scientific and academic contexts. Ludwig AI analysis shows its primary function is to convey a lack of statistical importance in research findings. While alternatives like "were inconsequential" or "were negligible" exist, the core message remains consistent. It's crucial to remember, as Ludwig AI points out, that "were not significant" doesn't equate to "no effect at all," but rather indicates that observed effects require further investigation to confirm their validity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were inconsequential

Replaces "significant" with "inconsequential", emphasizing a lack of consequence or effect.

were immaterial

Substitutes "significant" with "immaterial", highlighting a lack of relevance or importance.

were negligible

Replaces "significant" with "negligible", suggesting a very small or unimportant effect.

did not matter

Uses a more direct and simpler phrasing to indicate a lack of importance.

had no effect

Focuses on the absence of an effect, rather than the significance of the effect.

were of no consequence

Emphasizes the lack of consequence using a more formal tone.

were of little importance

Highlights the lack of importance using a slightly different wording.

did not have a significant impact

Rephrases the sentence to focus on the lack of a significant impact.

were not meaningful

Replaces "significant" with "meaningful", emphasizing a lack of meaning or value.

proved insignificant

Uses "proved insignificant" suggesting that significance was tested or evaluated and resulted in non-significance.

FAQs

How is "were not significant" used in research?

In research, "were not significant" indicates that the results of a study did not meet the threshold to reject the null hypothesis, suggesting that the observed effect could be due to random chance.

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

Alternatives include "were inconsequential", "were immaterial", or "were negligible", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "were not significant" in informal writing?

While technically correct, "were not significant" is more common in formal or scientific writing. In informal contexts, simpler phrases like "didn't matter" or "had no effect" may be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "were not significant" and "were insignificant"?

"Were not significant" typically implies a statistical or analytical assessment, whereas "were insignificant" suggests a general lack of importance or impact. The former is more often used in scientific contexts.