a dreadful mistake

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a dreadful mistake" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an error that has serious negative consequences or is particularly unfortunate. Example: "The decision to ignore the warning signs turned out to be a dreadful mistake that cost the company dearly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Books

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

Yet that would be a dreadful mistake.

The Economist

"We just made a dreadful mistake.

The New York Times

Hicks, aggrieved, saw that he had made a dreadful mistake.

The New Yorker

Almost immediately, Murray realized she had made "a dreadful mistake".

The New Yorker

"I think it's just a dreadful mistake that psychology is making," he said, "and I think that New Mexico has made a dreadful mistake".

The New York Times - Science

Hinch called it a "dreadful mistake" and said he never saw her again.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

Yay! My general practitioner was happily shocked (and so was I). 5) Soon after (it's in my notes somewhere as to when), I felt OVERLY CONFIDENT (mistake) and made a dreadful error: I started to lower my dose to only 3 CITRACAL MAX TABLETS a day.

Harvard University

"This is clearly a very intelligent, outstanding young lady who has made a rather dreadful mistake".

Vice

"This is clearly a very intelligent, outstanding young lady who has made a rather dreadful mistake". The judge went so far as to note that Milner's references from her employer were "exceptional", but wasn't impressed with texts that showed her seeming to brag about her little drug operation.

Vice

A dreadful misunderstanding, I said.

The Guardian - Books

"And so I made the dreadful mistake of a professional astronomer and asked myself, 'Is this really necessary?'" After poking around a bit, Henry decided it was not, and he's come up with what he considers a cleaner, more logical alternative.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a dreadful mistake" to emphasize the severe negative consequences of an error, particularly in situations where the impact is significant or irreversible.

Common error

Avoid using "a dreadful mistake" in overly casual or informal conversations; its intensity may sound exaggerated or insincere. Opt for milder terms like "a bad mistake" or "an unfortunate error" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a dreadful mistake" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the object or subject complement in a sentence. It describes a specific instance of an error characterized by significant negative consequences. According to Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Sport

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a dreadful mistake" is a noun phrase used to describe an error with significant negative consequences. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct and frequently used. Its function is to emphasize the severity of an error, often in neutral to formal contexts such as news reporting and serious discussions. While predominantly found in News & Media, it also appears in sports and academic writing. When a less emphatic tone is desired, alternatives like "a bad mistake" or "an unfortunate error" can be used. To maintain clarity, it's important to use this phrase accurately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a horrifying mistake

Emphasizes the shocking and disturbing nature of the mistake.

a terrible blunder

Highlights the clumsiness and severity of the error.

a grave error

Indicates a serious and significant mistake with potentially severe consequences.

a disastrous oversight

Focuses on the catastrophic consequences resulting from a failure to notice or prevent something.

a calamitous misjudgment

Stresses the disastrous nature of the poor judgment.

an egregious fault

Highlights the exceptionally bad and shocking nature of the mistake.

a monumental failure

Emphasizes the enormous scale and impact of the failure.

a regrettable lapse

Focuses on the feeling of regret and the temporary nature of the error.

a costly error

Highlights the expensive consequences of the mistake.

a significant oversight

Emphasizes importance of what it was failed to be noticed or done

FAQs

How to use "a dreadful mistake" in a sentence?

Use "a dreadful mistake" to describe an error that has serious negative consequences or is particularly unfortunate. For example: "The decision to launch the product without proper testing was "a dreadful mistake" that cost the company millions."

What can I say instead of "a dreadful mistake"?

You can use alternatives like "a horrifying mistake", "a grave error", or "a terrible blunder" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a dreadful mistake"?

The phrase "a dreadful mistake" is appropriate when you want to emphasize the severity and negative consequences of an error. It's suitable for formal writing, news reports, and situations where the impact is significant.

Which is correct, "a dreadful mistake" or "a terrible mistake"?

Both "a dreadful mistake" and "a terrible mistake" are grammatically correct, but "a dreadful mistake" conveys a stronger sense of severity and negative impact compared to "a terrible mistake".