a harmful consequence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a harmful consequence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the negative effects or outcomes of an action, decision, or event. Example: "The new policy may lead to a harmful consequence for the environment if not carefully monitored."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

While we can safely assume that regaining continuity of the ER is an absolute requirement for cellular survival, an important question remains: Is ER fission a harmful consequence of a harmful stimulus and hence the cell pays a price for ER fusion or is ER fission a protective response that helps the cell overcome a potentially harmful stimulus?

Plosone

94 This could be a harmful consequence.

BMJ Open

Atrophy is a harmful consequence of skeletal muscles deprived of normal activity and often leads to major difficulties with mobility and other activities of daily living [ 2, 7, 10].

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

For example, while ectopic recombination might be a major harmful consequence of carrying a proviral insertion, it is an open question as to whether it is generally healthier for a host to be homozygous for a proviral insertion or whether other factors dominate; is an ERV best modelled as a recessive harmful mutation?

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Adaption to BAC has a potentially harmful consequence.

BMC Infectious Diseases

The most harmful consequence is that this information undoubtedly lacks a certain context.

Huffington Post

So the foul play was intentional, even if, according to Leko, the harmful consequence was not.

The New York Times - Sports

To demonstrate the harmful consequence that positively-charged NPs can have through their crosslinking ability on mucus rheological properties, a swelling kinetics functional assay was used.

Plosone

Telomere structure limits the harmful consequence of DNA repair at telomeres.

EMBO Journal

While false negatives were not observed, false positives (ca. 18%) have no harmful consequence (Springer et al, 2003a).

British Journal of Cancer

A traditional practice with harmful consequences "Dangouria" is a customary practice in Niger whose origin, similarly to other female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) practices, cannot be easily established.

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a harmful consequence", ensure that the context clearly identifies the cause or action leading to the negative outcome. This provides clarity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "a harmful consequence" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for simpler phrases like "bad result" or "negative effect" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a harmful consequence" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object or subject complement in a sentence. It identifies a negative outcome resulting from a particular action or situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is correct and commonly used in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a harmful consequence" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that effectively conveys the negative impact of an action or situation. As Ludwig AI notes, it is best suited for formal contexts, such as scientific, news, and business writing. While alternatives like "negative outcome" or "adverse effect" exist, "a harmful consequence" offers a specific emphasis on the damaging nature of the result. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context clearly identifies the cause and effect to maximize clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a negative outcome

Replaces "harmful" with "negative" and "consequence" with "outcome", offering a more general term.

an adverse effect

Uses "adverse" instead of "harmful" and "effect" instead of "consequence", changing both words for alternatives with similar meanings.

a detrimental result

Substitutes "harmful" with "detrimental" and "consequence" with "result", providing different vocabulary.

an injurious effect

Replaces "harmful" with "injurious," emphasizing the damaging aspect, and "consequence" with "effect."

a damaging outcome

Uses "damaging" in place of "harmful" and "outcome" instead of "consequence," keeping a similar structure.

an unfortunate repercussion

Replaces "harmful" with "unfortunate" and "consequence" with "repercussion," implying a less direct or more indirect negative outcome.

a painful aftermath

Substitutes "harmful" with "painful" and "consequence" with "aftermath," focusing on the experience after an event.

a serious implication

Replaces "harmful consequence" with "serious implication," shifting the focus to the significance of the negative outcome.

an unwanted side effect

Replaces "harmful consequence" with "unwanted side effect", suggesting an unintended negative result.

a negative ramification

Substitutes "harmful" with "negative" and "consequence" with "ramification," offering a more formal alternative.

FAQs

How can I use "a harmful consequence" in a sentence?

You can use "a harmful consequence" to describe a negative outcome resulting from a specific action or situation. For example, "Insufficient follow-up can be a "harmful consequence" of shifting responsibility to the patient."

What are some alternatives to "a harmful consequence"?

Alternatives include "negative outcome", "adverse effect", or "detrimental result". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "harmful consequence" or "negative consequence"?

Both "harmful consequence" and "negative consequence" are acceptable. "Harmful" emphasizes the damaging nature of the outcome, while "negative" is more general. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "a harmful consequence" and "a side effect"?

"A side effect" typically refers to an unintended consequence, often in the context of medical treatments. "A "harmful consequence"" is broader and can refer to any negative outcome, whether intended or unintended.