"cannot be prevented" vs "cannot totally be prevented"

Question

"cannot be prevented" vs "cannot totally be prevented"

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. 'Cannot be prevented' implies that something is impossible to stop, while 'cannot totally be prevented' suggests that although prevention is difficult, it is not completely impossible. The choice between the two depends on the level of certainty you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 11, 2024

This phrase is used when you want to convey that there is no way to prevent a certain event or outcome.

Alternatives:

cannot be stopped
cannot be avoided
inevitable
unavoidable
bound to happen

This phrase is used when you want to convey that although something is difficult to prevent, there may still be some measures that can reduce the likelihood of it happening.

Alternatives:

cannot be completely prevented
cannot be entirely prevented
cannot be fully prevented
cannot be wholly prevented
cannot be totally avoided

Answer 1

cannot be prevented

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something is impossible to prevent.

Answer 2

cannot totally be prevented

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that prevention is challenging but not entirely impossible.

"cannot be prevented" vs "cannot totally be prevented"

cannot be prevented

cannot totally be prevented

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