without romance

USAGE SUMMARY

"without romance" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something or someone has no romantic qualities or aspects to them. For example, "My colleague and I maintain a professional relationship without romance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

(For plumbing without romance, stay in Bucharest).

The New York Times - Travel

For the couple, digital contact is not without romance.

The New York Times

"Without romance, there is nothing to do in this life".

The New York Times - Arts

I don't mean to sound overly romantic, although wine without romance is a paltry glassful indeed.

The New York Times - Food

They have a textured, hard-to-identify air of mystery without romance, which is good.

The New York Times - Arts

This is someone who can do without romance, as well as overcome the Victorian male prerogative with relative ease.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

The movie "It" is rather stodgy, and Bow's performance enjoyed fame because the actress conveyed freedom without danger, romance without recklessness.

The New Yorker

But King Arthur without chivalry and romance, without spells, curses and tragic destiny, is a national insult.

The Guardian - Film

Yet this "immense homeland of heartbreaking beauty" is not without love, romance, nor hope.

Independent

Is it possible for anyone to photograph Cuba without some romance creeping in?

The New York Times - Arts

In a way it's like "The Sound of Music" but without the romance, the Nazis or the music.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Incorporate the phrase into political or economic contexts to echo James Buchanan's famous definition of public choice theory as "politics without romance".

Common error

While "romance-free" functions as a specific label or category (like a movie genre), "without romance" is a more versatile prepositional phrase that describes the state or manner of an interaction. Use "without romance" for a more natural flow in descriptive prose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without romance" functions as a prepositional phrase that can act either adjectivally or adverbially. According to Ludwig AI, it is a standard English construction used to qualify a noun or verb by indicating the total absence of romantic sentiment or idealization.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "without romance" serves as a powerful linguistic tool for injecting realism into various subjects. Ludwig AI demonstrates its utility across a wide spectrum of topics, from literary reviews of Jane Eyre to the cold economic theories of public choice. By using the phrase, writers can effectively signal a shift from idealized expectations to the underlying, often gritty, reality. Whether describing a "halal dating" circuit or the junk trade business, Ludwig confirms that the expression is not only grammatically correct but also essential for providing a balanced and unsentimental perspective in modern English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

without any romantic feelings

Provides a more explicit and personal clarification of the emotional state.

devoid of romance

Emphasizes a total and perhaps stark absence of romantic qualities.

lacking romance

Suggests that romance is missing from a situation where it might otherwise be expected.

absence of romance

Uses a noun-based structure to focus on the state of being without.

non-romantic

A more clinical or categorical classification of a relationship or setting.

unromantic

An adjectival form that describes the inherent nature of the subject.

bereft of romance

A more literary or dramatic way to describe the lack of romantic elements.

purely platonic

Specific to relationships, defining them by the presence of friendship without sexual or romantic intent.

strictly professional

Often used in work contexts to define boundaries that exclude romantic involvement.

purely functional

Shifts the focus to utility and purpose rather than emotion or aesthetics.

FAQs

How do I use "without romance" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a relationship or an activity that lacks emotional idealization, such as: "They maintained a partnership "strictly professional" and "without romance"."

What is a more formal way to say "without romance"?

In formal or academic writing, you might prefer terms like "devoid of romance" or "lacking romantic elements".

What does the phrase "politics without romance" mean?

Coined by Nobel laureate James Buchanan, it describes a realistic view of political agents acting out of self-interest rather than purely for the public good, resulting in an "unsentimental" view of government.

Is it better to use "without romance" or "unromantic"?

Use "unromantic" as an adjective to describe a person or thing's character, while "without romance" is better for describing the state or condition of an event or relationship.