has not been defined vs was not defined

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Has not been defined" is used when referring to something that has not been defined up to the present moment, indicating a current state. On the other hand, "was not defined" is used when referring to something that was not defined in the past, indicating a completed action.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 850 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something has not been defined up to the present moment.

"has not been defined"

Use "has not been defined" when referring to something that has not been defined up to the present moment, indicating a current state.

Examples:

The terms of the agreement have not been defined yet.
The concept has not been defined clearly in the research paper.

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The effect of filgrastim on graft versus host disease has not been defined.
Parliament's approach, then, has not been defined in a vacuum, where we are cut off from the world.
The term "generally accepted data" has not been defined.
The aetiology has not been defined.
Such a concept has not been defined in WTO law or jurisprudence, nor is it found in EU legislation.
whereas 'domestic help' is a concept that has not been defined,
The benefits and risks of prasugrel should be carefully considered in patients in whom the coronary anatomy has not been defined and urgent CABG is a possibility.
As the Commissioner himself has said, it has not been defined as low-leakage or low-dispersal material.
The age ban has not been defined by using the term under-age, and different legislation applies in different Member States.
The relationship between in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity of amprenavir and the inhibition of HIV-1 replication in humans has not been defined.
Let us say clearly: there is not enough realism in our expectations of the Europe 2020 strategy, there are too many things to be done and too much hope being created, and the role of Member States has not been defined.
Might this constitute a restriction on freedom of movement of goods, given that indigenous, native, regional wood has not been defined Europe-wide and is not definable?
Given this broad definition, the exporting producer claims that Union industry has not been defined 'properly' is rejected.
Furthermore, as maternity leave has not been defined, it is necessary to insert a reference to Directive 92/85/EEC.
The term 'generally accepted data' has not been defined and therefore there is concern about how this may be interpreted.
The criterion 'substantially significant tourism targeting the community concerned or a part thereof' has not been defined in the proposal.
The Commission cannot accept the Italian authorities' argument that an SGEI can be compensated legitimately even where the service has not been defined ex ante as an SGEI and entrusted to the recipient on that basis.
An entity that does not have a name and has not been defined has no identity, and as such that entity is considered non-existent.
is as yet unable to say whether Community legislation on service concessions should be introduced, because the expression partnership has not been defined.
We have undertaken to achieve two things: to associate the candidate countries - although even the meaning of the word 'associate' has not been defined, but it will probably not include voting rights; we do not yet know.

Alternatives:

is not defined
has yet to be defined
remains undefined
has not received a definition

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that something was not defined in the past, indicating a completed action.

"was not defined"

Use "was not defined" when referring to something that was not defined in the past, indicating a completed action.

Examples:

The term was not defined in the previous version of the document.
The variable was not defined before the experiment.

Show examples from the web [+]

Corridor VIII was not defined by the European Council of Essen.
The path for 'Local CD Database' was not defined
This concept of liability was not defined clearly enough in our legislation.
The benefit/ risk ratio was not defined fully in patients with 4 and more positive nodes at this analysis stage.
However, the term «batch» was not defined in the original FATF's INSR VII.
Patients with 4+ nodes The benefit/ risk ratio for TAC in patients with 4+ nodes was not defined fully at the interim analysis (see section 5.1).
In view of the lack of cooperation from the GOC, the scope of those entities which are considered "public bodies" was not defined to the full extent.
Investment firms shall determine the target market for the respective financial instrument, even if the target market was not defined by the manufacturer.
Regrets that the fight against cybercrime was not defined as one of the priorities of the Göteborg summit and that this point was only mentioned in the context of the EU-US summit;
The fact that the regional code for Gibraltar - which was not defined by us, but by the ITU - happens to be between those of Germany and Luxembourg has no political significance at all, but is the result of the numerical sequence of the table.
There is no formal EU Risk Assessment Report (RAR) as DCM was not defined by any of the stakeholders to be a priority substance despite concerns already being noted.

Alternatives:

had not been defined
was left undefined
did not have a definition
was not given a definition

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has not been defined vs was not defined