a significant negative clue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a significant negative clue" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing evidence or information that suggests a negative outcome or implication in a particular context. Example: "The absence of any witnesses at the scene was a significant negative clue in the investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Sulgrove as West now had a significant negative clue.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"This could have a significant negative impact".

The New York Times

Conversely, corporate misdeeds, once they become known, do have a significant negative impact on financial performance.

The New York Times

NH4NO3 has a significant negative effect.

Biochemical Engineering Journal

There is a significant negative lag spike.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Cognitive skill exhibited a significant negative effect.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Nevertheless, the news, again, had a significant negative impact on Lending Club share price.

TechCrunch

But the declining participation by younger generations of parents is a significant negative predictor.

Huffington Post

West led a diamond, which was a negative clue.

The New York Times - Arts

In this experiment, we wanted to see what the polarity shifting looked like when a positive clue and a negative clue occurred in the same line.

Lingua Sinica

A positive clue and a negative clue often occurred between phrases, so we did not break down the sentences into phrases in this experiment.

Lingua Sinica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a significant negative clue", ensure the context clearly establishes what the clue pertains to and why it is considered significant. This provides clarity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "a significant negative clue" for minor or inconsequential details. Overusing this phrase can dilute its impact and credibility. Reserve it for genuinely important indicators.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant negative clue" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjectives "significant" and "negative" modify the noun "clue". Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in denoting an important indicator with adverse implications.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a significant negative clue" is a noun phrase used to denote an important piece of information that suggests an unfavorable outcome. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. Though its frequency is rare, the phrase appears in news, science, and occasionally formal business contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by explicitly stating the clue's subject and impact, but avoid overusing it for trivial details. Alternatives like ""a major unfavorable indication"" or ""a critical adverse sign"" can provide similar emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a major unfavorable indication

Changes "significant" to "major" and "negative clue" to "unfavorable indication", altering the tone slightly to be more formal.

a critical adverse sign

Replaces "significant" with "critical" to highlight importance, and "negative clue" with "adverse sign", making it more clinical.

an important discouraging signal

Substitutes "significant" with "important", and "negative clue" with "discouraging signal", softening the negative impact.

a telling pessimistic indicator

Replaces "significant" with "telling", and "negative clue" with "pessimistic indicator", focusing on prediction.

a substantial contrary hint

Replaces "significant" with "substantial" for emphasis, and "negative clue" with "contrary hint", reducing severity.

a noteworthy detrimental piece of information

Expands the phrase to be more descriptive, replacing "significant" with "noteworthy", and "negative clue" with "detrimental piece of information".

a considerable downside suggestion

Uses "considerable" instead of "significant" and "downside suggestion" to convey the negative implication.

a meaningful disadvantageous sign

Changes "significant" to "meaningful" and "negative clue" to "disadvantageous sign", shifting to a more evaluative tone.

a prominent unpromising lead

Alters "significant" to "prominent" and "negative clue" to "unpromising lead", suitable for investigative contexts.

a serious undermining indication

Emphasizes the gravity by using "serious" and "undermining indication" instead of "significant negative clue".

FAQs

How can "a significant negative clue" be used in a sentence?

You can use "a significant negative clue" to point out an important piece of information suggesting an unfavorable outcome. For example, "The lack of financial backing was "a significant negative clue" regarding the project's viability".

What is a good substitute for "a significant negative clue"?

Depending on the context, you might use alternatives such as "a major unfavorable indication" or "a critical adverse sign" to convey a similar meaning.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a significant negative clue"?

Use "a significant negative clue" when you want to emphasize that a particular piece of information strongly suggests a negative or undesirable outcome. It's appropriate when the implication is substantial and noteworthy.

What distinguishes "a significant negative clue" from a regular "clue"?

The addition of "significant" and "negative" emphasizes the importance and unfavorable nature of the clue. A regular "clue" is simply a piece of information, while "a significant negative clue" implies a substantial and detrimental implication.