at harmful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at harmful" is not correct and does not make sense in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and lacks context to determine its intended meaning. Example: "The chemicals were found to be at harmful levels in the water supply."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

Officials emphasized that as testing continued more substances were likely to be found at harmful levels, especially from water taken near industrial sites.

The New York Times

"Some are drinking too much and at harmful levels, and we need more information broken down by sub-population to better identify who those people are.

The Guardian

In 1999 the EU launched a code of conduct aimed at "harmful" tax measures, using the same definition as the OECD's.

The Economist

A9 World Briefing A8 NATIONAL A12-27 U.S. to Seek Reductions Of Arsenic in Tap Water The Clinton administration intends to propose strict new regulations of arsenic in tap water, reducing by 90percentthehe public's maximum exposure to the chemical, which causes cancer and is found at harmful levels in at least 1 out of 10 of the nation's community water supplies.

The New York Times

The Clinton administration today proposed strict new regulations of arsenic in tap water, reducing by 90percentthehe public's maximum exposure to the chemical, which causes cancer and is found at harmful levels in at least 1 out of 10 of the nation's community water supplies.

The New York Times

The Connecticut court said the suit, which seeks unspecified damages for each death, could go forward under that state's Unfair Trade Practices Act, a statute aimed at harmful marketing, in this case marketing not of the weapon but rather its use as a potential tool for "offensive military style combat" by civilians, which is illegal.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

He characterizes the service as unhelpful at best, harmful at worst.

Vice

It is precisely in that spirit that we voiced our concerns about this conference, believing it would be irrelevant at best, harmful at worst, to the pursuit of a deal.

Huffington Post

And, some of their work is, at best, harmful and, at worst, deadly for gay people.

Huffington Post

"The study looks at how long children spend looking at screens but not at what harmful content they might see.

BBC

Secretary Clinton's actions were at best negligent and at worst harmful to our national security.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "at harmful" directly. Instead, use more grammatically correct alternatives such as "at harmful levels" or "to a harmful degree" to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing.

Common error

A common mistake is using "at harmful" without a noun. This phrase requires a noun (e.g. "levels", "concentrations") to specify what is harmful. For example, instead of "the chemical is at harmful", say "the chemical is at harmful levels".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at harmful" functions as a prepositional phrase, but its grammatical correctness is questionable. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect, often requiring a noun to complete its meaning (e.g., "at harmful levels").

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "at harmful" appears in various contexts, Ludwig AI indicates that it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. To ensure clarity and accuracy, it's best to use phrases like "at harmful levels" or "to a harmful degree" instead. These alternatives are more grammatically sound and widely accepted in both formal and informal writing. The phrase is mostly seen in scientific and news-related articles. Remember to add context by specifying what exactly is "at harmful" by adding "levels" or "concentrations" to the expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to a harmful degree

Replaces the preposition "at" with "to" and adds the word "degree" for better clarity.

reaching harmful levels

Focuses on the action of reaching a point where harm is possible.

at a detrimental level

Substitutes "harmful" with "detrimental", which implies damage or disadvantage.

at dangerous levels

Uses "dangerous" as a direct synonym for "harmful".

to a dangerous extent

Similar to "to a harmful degree" but uses "dangerous" instead of "harmful".

posing a threat

Shifts the focus to the act of threatening rather than a static state.

presenting a hazard

Emphasizes the existence of a hazard or risk.

at toxic concentrations

Implies a level of poisonous substances that are harmful.

at hazardous concentrations

Synonymous with the previous but replaces toxic with hazardous.

to a damaging extent

Focuses on the damaging aspect of the situation.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "at harmful" correctly in a sentence?

The phrase "at harmful" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. A better alternative is to use the phrase "at harmful levels" or "to a harmful degree". For example, "The toxins were present "at harmful levels"".

What is a more appropriate substitute for "at harmful"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "at dangerous levels", "to a harmful degree", or "posing a threat".

Which is correct, "at harmful concentrations" or "with harmful concentrations"?

"At harmful concentrations" is generally more appropriate when referring to a specific measured level. However, depending on the construction of the sentence "with harmful concentrations" may also be used.

What's the difference between "harmful levels" and "dangerous levels"?

While both "harmful levels" and "dangerous levels" indicate a potential for harm, "dangerous levels" often implies a more immediate or severe risk. The best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.