an unfortunate effect

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an unfortunate effect" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a negative or undesirable outcome resulting from a particular action or situation. Example: "The new policy had an unfortunate effect on employee morale, leading to increased turnover rates."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Dramatically, that scurrying has an unfortunate effect.

The New Yorker

McDonald's may have an unfortunate effect on international eating habits, but at least it is using its market power where it can to change farming practices for the better.

The New York Times

And on January 5th, while touring a hospital, he broke off from praising the NHS to say that useful stem-cell research should be allowed.But this week's dodge will have an unfortunate effect on research.

The Economist

In other words, the outlook for letters was poor, and this had an unfortunate effect on the scientific literature of the age, which was in itself of first-class quality.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It's an album of what could be called electronic dance music, a genre the music industry in America has saddled with the unfortunate moniker of electronica in an effort to get people to buy it without thinking of words like disco or techno, which seem to have an unfortunate effect in the marketplace.

The New York Times - Arts

Of course, not everyone has time to do this, and for them, an unfortunate effect of the city's cutback will be a shortage next spring and fall of free compost from its "giveback" program (information on the program is at nyccompost.org/program/givebacks.html).html

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

"The FIRST Act would have an extraordinarily unfortunate effect on an agency that is our broadest funder of basic research across all the scientific and engineering disciplines, including the social and behavioral sciences, which sometimes come in for particular criticism from members of Congress when they read the title of a grant that seems to them frivolous and a waste of taxpayers' money".

Science Magazine

On May 1, Holdren told attendees of a forum sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science that the FIRST Act "would have an extraordinarily unfortunate effect" on the NSF's grantmaking process, according to an account from ScienceInsider.

Huffington Post

Pending legislation to alter the grantmaking process at the National Science Foundation NSFF) "would have an extraordinarily unfortunate effect" on the $7 billion research agency, presidential science adviser John Holdren said today.

Science Magazine

But not only did her crash result in a point deficit large enough to knock Martin out of Olympic contention — she lost her bid to Kintner by 1 point — it had a second unfortunate effect.

The New York Times

The effect of your not publishing was an unfortunate "side effect" that for these purposes can be just mentioned but not made to be significant (even though it certainly is!).

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an unfortunate effect", clearly specify the cause of the effect to provide context and clarity for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "an unfortunate effect" when a more neutral term like "result" or "outcome" would be more appropriate. Reserve it for genuinely negative or problematic consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an unfortunate effect" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a verb. It describes a negative or undesirable result stemming from a specific cause. Ludwig AI validates that this phrase is suitable for describing unexpected outcomes.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an unfortunate effect" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a negative outcome or consequence. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, its frequency is uncommon, primarily appearing in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When using the phrase, it's essential to clearly identify the cause and be mindful of the severity of the impact to avoid overstatement. Consider alternatives like "a regrettable outcome" or "a negative impact" depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a regrettable outcome

Replaces "unfortunate" with "regrettable", emphasizing the feeling of sorrow or disappointment.

an undesirable consequence

Substitutes "unfortunate" with "undesirable", highlighting the unwanted nature of the result.

a negative impact

Focuses on the impact, using "negative" instead of "unfortunate".

an adverse result

Replaces "unfortunate" with "adverse", indicating a harmful or unfavorable outcome.

a detrimental consequence

Emphasizes the harm caused by the consequence, using "detrimental".

a damaging outcome

Highlights the damage resulting from the outcome.

an unwelcome development

Focuses on the unwelcomeness of the development.

a disappointing result

Emphasizes the disappointment caused by the result.

a problematic effect

Highlights the problematic nature of the effect.

a complicating factor

Focuses on how it can make things more complex or difficult.

FAQs

How can I use "an unfortunate effect" in a sentence?

Use "an unfortunate effect" to describe a negative consequence or outcome resulting from a specific action or situation. For example, "The budget cuts had "an unfortunate effect" on the library's operating hours".

What are some alternatives to saying "an unfortunate effect"?

You can use alternatives such as "a regrettable outcome", "an undesirable consequence", or "a negative impact" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "unfortunate effect" or "negative effect"?

Both phrases are acceptable, but "unfortunate effect" implies a sense of disappointment or regret, while "negative effect" is more neutral and simply indicates an adverse outcome.

What's the difference between "an unfortunate effect" and "an unintended consequence"?

"An unfortunate effect" describes a negative result, regardless of intent, while "an unintended consequence" specifically refers to a result that was not planned or foreseen, which might be positive or negative.