bad premise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bad premise" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the foundation or underlying assumption of an argument, story, or idea that is flawed or incorrect. Example: "The movie had a bad premise, which made it difficult for the audience to engage with the plot."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Not a bad premise for a novel, right?

The New York Times - Books

The pope takes Manhattan sounds like a bad premise for a Muppets movie, but it's the only way to describe what it is like here this week.

The Guardian - Opinion

The pro-page-twoers think that without the incident the story is robbed of motive and pathos; the anti-page-twoers think that it's just too hard, too early, and too brutal, so they turn the story into one of a little elephant who merely wanders into Paris — not such a bad premise.

The New Yorker

It's not a bad premise, the opener had some promising scenes, and Greig (who would be a shoo-in for the lead part if there were ever an Emma Thompson biopic) and Mangan strike a nice balance between insecurity and irony.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The pro-page-twoers think that without the incident the story is robbed of motive and pathos; the anti-page-twoers think that it's just too hard, too early, and too brutal, so they turn the story into one of a little elephant who merely wanders into Paris not such a bad premise.

The New Yorker

That's not a bad premise.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

The dopey, goyish wannabe Jew is not necessarily a bad comic premise.

The New Yorker

And sometimes, a broken system is a result of bad underlying premises.

The Guardian - Sport

Stale on arrival, the bad-dad premise might once have called for the comic invention of a Michel Gondry (or Adam Sandler).

The New York Times

While it may not be a simple matter to move from one cloud vendor to another, chances are it's easier than it would have been to rip and replace bad on-premises software –and cloud vendors clearly recognize this.

TechCrunch

Is the premise bad?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When critiquing a narrative, be specific about why the "bad premise" undermines the story's potential. Does it create plot holes, illogical character actions, or a lack of thematic resonance?

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something has a "bad premise" without providing supporting evidence or explanation. Explain how the premise is flawed to make your critique more persuasive and insightful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bad premise" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "bad" modifies the noun "premise". According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. Examples found in Ludwig show it is primarily used in the context of evaluating narratives, arguments, or proposals.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bad premise" is a grammatically sound phrase used to critique a flawed or unconvincing foundation of an argument, story, or idea. Ludwig confirms that it is commonly employed in News & Media. Although it is not as frequent as some other phrases, it's a clear and direct way to express disapproval of an initial concept. Consider using alternatives like "flawed assumption" or "weak foundation" to add nuance or specificity to your critique. Remember to clearly articulate why the premise is flawed to strengthen your argument.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

flawed assumption

Focuses on the incorrectness of the underlying assumption.

weak foundation

Highlights the lack of strength or support in the initial basis.

untenable proposition

Emphasizes that the initial statement cannot be defended or maintained.

faulty starting point

Directly indicates an error in the initial stage of reasoning or development.

invalid basis

Stresses the lack of legitimacy or correctness in the foundation.

unsound reasoning

Points to a defect in the logic used from the beginning.

dubious hypothesis

Suggests that the initial idea is questionable or unlikely to be true.

questionable foundation

Highlights the uncertainty or doubtfulness of the base on which something is built.

fallacious reasoning

Identifies the presence of deceptive or misleading logic from the outset.

deficient rationale

Indicates a lack of adequacy or completeness in the justification provided.

FAQs

How can I use "bad premise" in a sentence?

You can use "bad premise" to describe a flawed foundation or underlying assumption of an argument, story, or idea. For instance, "The movie failed because it was based on a "bad premise"."

What can I say instead of "bad premise"?

You can use alternatives like "flawed assumption", "weak foundation", or "untenable proposition" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "bad premise" or "flawed premise"?

Both "bad premise" and "flawed premise" are acceptable. "Flawed premise" might sound slightly more formal, but the difference is minimal. Choose the one that best fits the tone of your writing.

What makes a premise "bad"?

A premise can be "bad" if it's illogical, unsupported by evidence, internally inconsistent, or leads to implausible conclusions. A "bad premise" often undermines the credibility or effectiveness of the argument or story it supports.