a great harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a great harm" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the significant negative impact or damage caused by an action or event. Example: "The decision to cut funding for the program will result in a great harm to the community's well-being."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"Rip-offs have done a great harm to my own reputation," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

An obvious feature of the phytoplankton is a rapid appearance and disappearance resulting in the formation of bloom, which causes a great harm to the human health and zooplankton population [4, 5].

Advances in Difference Equations

Pollution of oils and organic solvents is a great harm to water environment, therefore, the design to develop high efficient material to absorb the sudden accidents of oil leakage is increasing instantly.

Powder Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

That's a greater harm than the other one.

The New York Times

How could the civilians have a right of defense against a lesser harm but not against a greater harm inflicted by the same people?

The New York Times

Dating back centuries to English common law, the defense enabled someone to be found innocent if a crime had been committed to avoid a greater harm.

The New Yorker

Convictions seemed quite likely this week after the judge, James M. Burke, rejected the group's "necessity defense," an argument that civil disobedience was justified to "avert a greater harm" -- the potential risk of fire deaths.

The New York Times

Shiffrin (1999), however, holds that harming someone to save them from a greater harm is morally distinct from harming them to impose a "pure benefit" on them.

SEP

In her understanding this is objectionable because the person cannot consent and these harms are not necessary to prevent a greater harm.

SEP

Feinberg (1992) compares situations like the Marie and Sally cases with cases in which someone is harmed in the course of being saved from a greater harm (e.g., his leg is broken while his life is being saved).

SEP

If he would choose to subject himself to a greater harm, for whatever reason, that cannot be considered by the Court.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a great harm", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being harmed and the magnitude of the negative impact. Be specific to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "a great harm" when the negative impact is minor or easily rectified. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a great harm" functions as a noun phrase expressing a significant negative impact or damage. It typically serves as the object of a verb, indicating what has been negatively affected. Ludwig AI confirms this is a correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

67%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a great harm" is a phrase used to describe a significant negative impact or damage. Ludwig AI indicates that it’s grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, although it appears more frequently in science than in news. When using "a great harm", ensure that the context clearly indicates the source and the extent of the harm to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "significant harm" or "substantial damage" can provide similar meanings with slight variations in tone and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant harm

Highlights the importance or noteworthiness of the harm.

substantial damage

Focuses on the physical or measurable negative impact.

considerable damage

Emphasizes the significant degree of harm caused.

severe damage

Implies a high degree of destruction or impairment.

serious detriment

Suggests a long-lasting and impactful negative consequence.

profound impact

Highlights a deep and far-reaching influence, often negative.

deleterious effect

Emphasizes the harmful or damaging nature of an influence.

major setback

Refers to an event that significantly delays progress.

terrible consequences

Focuses on the negative outcomes resulting from an action.

grave injury

Refers specifically to physical harm that is serious in nature.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a great harm"?

You can use alternatives like "significant harm", "substantial damage", or "serious detriment" depending on the context.

How to use "a great harm" in a sentence?

Use "a great harm" to describe situations where significant damage or negative consequences have occurred. For example, "The oil spill caused a great harm to the marine ecosystem."

Is "a great harm" formal or informal?

"A great harm" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more formal settings may prefer synonyms like "significant harm" or "substantial damage".

What is the difference between "a great harm" and "a greater harm"?

"A great harm" refers to a significant level of damage or negative impact in general. "A greater harm" implies a comparison, suggesting that one negative consequence is more severe than another.