Why the Alaska class remained large cruisers

Why were the Alaska-class ships not called battlecruisers?

They were physically close, but the US Navy classified and employed them as large heavy cruisers rather than battlecruisers.

Operational role is the decisive test for the Alaska class. The ships occupied the physical space between cruiser and battleship and could look battlecruiser-like in size and armament. The US Navy neither named nor employed them as battlecruisers, using them as large cruisers instead. Institutional classification and operational intent therefore matter alongside dimensions, speed, protection, and guns.