awful plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "awful plan" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a plan that is considered very bad or poorly thought out. Example: "After reviewing the proposal, I have to say that it's an awful plan that will likely lead to failure."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This awful plan leaves me perturbed to the depths of my soul.

The New York Times

Mr. Marco played Patrolman Kelton, a k a Kelton the Cop, in several Wood films, including the notoriously awful "Plan 9 From Outer Space," to which Mr. Marco had taken Mr. Insalaco when he was 6.

The New York Times

It is, in fact, an awful plan, which cuts spending far too deeply at a time when the government should be summoning all its resources to solve the real economic problem of unemployment.

The New York Times

Until George Romero's landmark 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, zombies in movies usually were created from voodoo or magic (or aliens, as featured in Ed Wood's groundbreakingly awful Plan 9 From Outer Space).

Forbes

Until George Romero's landmark 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, zombies in movies usually were created from voodoo or magic (or aliens, as featured in Ed Wood's groundbreakingly awful Plan 9 From Outer Space). Romero gave us brain-munching corpses produced from a space probe blowing up in the atmosphere.

Forbes

Either way, their obvious and hackish corruption coupled with this awful plan has made it easy for us to pick the villains out of a lineup.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Its current place, so close the Big Top, is truly awful planning.

The Guardian - Music

Nearly 50m Americans lack health insurance; the White House had hoped that 7m would sign up in the first year.Revelation after revelation suggests that Obamacare's awful first month reflects awful planning.

The Economist

It is only when they are 11 years old that the boarding school children accidentally learn the sinister truth about who they are, why they are there, and what awful plans the state has in store for them.

The Guardian - Film

It is not known whether Lord Patten was subsequently in contact informally with his old political colleague George Osborne but he was certainly outspoken about the government's "awful" plans to make the BBC pay for pensioners' free licence fee on Radio 4's The World at One.

The Guardian

They got out, but they had an awful fallback plan to fake madness and so they wound up in a mental institution in Constantinople".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "awful plan", ensure the context clearly indicates why the plan is considered negative. Provide specific reasons or evidence to support your assessment for greater impact.

Common error

Avoid using "awful plan" gratuitously. Overusing negative descriptors without providing concrete reasons weakens your argument and dilutes the impact of your writing. Always substantiate your claims with specific details and reasoning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "awful plan" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. "Awful" is an adjective that describes the quality of the "plan". As confirmed by Ludwig, it expresses disapproval or a negative assessment.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

11%

Reference

6%

Less common in

Science

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "awful plan" is used to express strong disapproval of a particular course of action or strategy. Ludwig AI confirms that this is grammatically correct and usable in written English. While alternatives exist, such as "terrible scheme" or "dreadful strategy", the choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey. It is important to provide context and justification when using this phrase to strengthen your argument. As the phrase occurs most frequently in News & Media contexts, it can be considered to have a neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terrible scheme

Replaces 'plan' with 'scheme', implying a more devious or underhanded intention.

dreadful strategy

Substitutes 'plan' with 'strategy', suggesting a poorly conceived approach to achieve a goal.

atrocious proposal

Replaces 'plan' with 'proposal', focusing on the suggestion being presented, and 'awful' with 'atrocious' amplifying the negative assessment.

horrendous idea

Uses 'idea' instead of 'plan', portraying it as an ill-conceived notion. Uses 'horrendous' instead of 'awful' intensifying the negativity.

appalling project

Replaces 'plan' with 'project', framing it as a specific undertaking and substitutes 'awful' for 'appalling', both denoting strong disapproval.

lousy design

Replaces 'plan' with 'design', implying the structure is faulty. Also replaces 'awful' with 'lousy', implying it's of poor quality.

unacceptable course of action

More formal and less emotive than "awful plan", indicating a plan that is not permissible.

ill-conceived program

Replaces 'plan' with 'program', suggesting a structured set of activities with poor consideration, using 'ill-conceived' to describe it.

poorly thought-out strategy

More descriptive, emphasizing the lack of careful consideration in the development of the strategy.

badly designed scheme

Highlights flaws in the scheme's design, suggesting structural or conceptual problems.

FAQs

How can I use "awful plan" in a sentence?

You can use "awful plan" to express strong disapproval of a proposed strategy or course of action. For example, "The proposed budget cuts are an awful plan that will negatively impact essential services."

What are some alternatives to saying "awful plan"?

Alternatives include "terrible scheme", "dreadful strategy", or "atrocious proposal", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "awful plan" too informal for professional writing?

While "awful plan" is generally acceptable, more formal alternatives like "unacceptable course of action" or "ill-conceived program" might be more suitable for professional contexts. It depends on your audience and the overall tone of the writing.

What makes a plan qualify as an "awful plan"?

A plan may be considered an "awful plan" if it is poorly conceived, likely to fail, or has significant negative consequences. The specific reasons for the negative assessment should be clearly articulated.