an egregious mistake

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an egregious mistake" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a mistake that is remarkably bad or shocking in nature. Example: "The decision to ignore the safety protocols was an egregious mistake that could have had serious consequences."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The Schröder government gave priority to structural reforms over fiscal consolidation, which today's Merkel government regards as an egregious mistake.

The Economist

With an election approaching, presenting the picture of a president who has time for fundraisers but not for military funerals would be an egregious mistake.

The New York Times

"Roy Moore made an egregious mistake to attack that one thing — my integrity". The Moore campaign did not respond to numerous requests for comment for this article.

The Washington Post

Many ABC stations found themselves with a black screen for at least several minutes, an egregious mistake in broadcasting because it drives viewers elsewhere.

The New York Times

Sylvain Lefebvre made an egregious mistake in front of Richter that led to Atlanta's second goal, which turned out to be the key play of the game.

The New York Times - Sports

Approving the 17-story building, said Mr. Allen, would be "an egregious mistake" because it is too tall for the neighborhood.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Days after disclosing a $2 billion trading loss at JPMorgan Chase, the bank's chief executive, Jamie Dimon, admitted that "we made a terrible egregious mistake" in an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press".

The New York Times

But your insistence that "We made a terrible, egregious mistake" is a lesson in leadership for your peers.

The New York Times

"We made a terrible, egregious mistake," Dimon said in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press".

Huffington Post

DealBook » Dimon Says JPMorgan Made a 'Terrible Egregious Mistake'  |  Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan's chief executive, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that its chief investment office's $2 billion trading loss was a "terrible egregious mistake".

The New York Times

"We made a terrible, egregious mistake and there's almost no excuse for it," Mr. Dimon said, adding that the bank was "sloppy" and "stupid".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an egregious mistake" to emphasize the severity and shocking nature of an error. Reserve it for situations where the mistake has significant consequences or reveals a serious flaw.

Common error

Avoid using "an egregious mistake" for trivial errors. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and make your writing sound melodramatic. Use it only when the mistake is truly exceptional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an egregious mistake" functions as a noun phrase that describes a particular type of error. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is used to highlight mistakes that are remarkably bad or shocking. The examples show its use in various contexts, from sports to politics.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Sport

15%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an egregious mistake" is a phrase used to describe a particularly bad or shocking error, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Its use is grammatically correct and relatively common, particularly in news and media contexts. While the phrase is useful for emphasizing the severity of an error, it should be reserved for situations where the mistake truly warrants such strong language. Alternatives like "a glaring error" or "a serious blunder" may be more appropriate in less severe cases. The examples provided by Ludwig demonstrate the phrase's versatility and impact in various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a glaring error

Focuses on the obvious and easily noticeable nature of the mistake.

a serious blunder

Emphasizes the negative consequences and clumsiness of the mistake.

a grave error

Highlights the weighty and significant impact of the mistake.

a flagrant violation

Emphasizes the deliberate and blatant disregard for rules or standards.

a monumental lapse

Stresses the exceptionally large scale or scope of the mistake.

a terrible oversight

Highlights the neglectful aspect of the mistake.

an unpardonable error

Indicates that the mistake is so severe that it cannot be forgiven.

a critical misjudgment

Focuses on the poor decision-making that led to the mistake.

a costly miscalculation

Emphasizes the financial or other tangible losses resulting from the mistake.

a regrettable lapse in judgment

Highlights the feeling of remorse and the failure to exercise sound judgment.

FAQs

How to use "an egregious mistake" in a sentence?

Use "an egregious mistake" to describe a notably bad or shocking error, often with significant consequences. For example, "Ignoring the safety protocols was "an egregious mistake" that could have had serious repercussions."

What can I say instead of "an egregious mistake"?

You can use alternatives like "a glaring error", "a serious blunder", or "a grave error" depending on the specific context and the aspect of the mistake you want to emphasize.

Which is correct, "egregious mistake" or "egregarious mistake"?

"Egregious mistake" is the correct phrase. "Egregarious" is not a word. "Egregious" means outstandingly bad or shocking.

What's the difference between ""an egregious mistake"" and "a simple mistake"?

"An egregious mistake" implies a severe error with significant consequences, while "a simple mistake" refers to a minor, easily correctable error. The former carries a much stronger negative connotation.