bodes little

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bodes little" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something suggests a negative or unfavorable outcome or consequence. Example: "The recent decline in sales bodes little for the company's future growth."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Hoptman clearly considered the echo, presenting the same number of painters — except that this group bodes little change in art anywhere, that being a melancholy mark of its pertinence today.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The them of the meeting was the impending arrival of the Angel Gabriel, a visit that boded little good for the citizens of Missouri.

The New Yorker

NBC just showed a touching segment on little Bode's Derby experience with Bodemeister.

The New York Times

It would slip away for a little Bode Miller here and some ice dancers in aboriginal costumes there.

The New York Times - Sports

"That doesn't bode well for 100 little harbors up and down the coast of Maine".

The New York Times - Food

Loud noises, big decisions and large crowds don't bode well for HSPs without a little downtime to balance them out.

Huffington Post

If prices are above $25, investors "will be a little more relaxed".That would bode well for next year's all-important "new energy" auction.

The Economist

Prior to the 2010 Games, Bode had planned on retiring and had trained little compared to his competitors.

Huffington Post

"The fact that so little is known about him doesn't bode too well," said Mr. Hempstone, whose memoirs about his time in Kenya were banned by President Moi.

The New York Times

I thought of a little white cat and how that must bode good fortune.

Huffington Post

In a sweep that bodes well for her Oscar chances, Jessica Chastain – until this year a little-known Juilliard grad – won best supporting actress for not one but three performances, in "The Tree of Life," "The Help" and "Take Shelter".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "bodes little", ensure the context clearly establishes what outcome is being predicted. For instance, "The company's high debt bodes little for its long-term stability."

Common error

Avoid using "bodes little" when the situation is already definitively negative. The phrase suggests a future outcome, not a present state. Instead of "The company's bankruptcy bodes little for its investors", use "The company's bankruptcy is devastating for its investors."

Linguistic Context

Bodes little functions as a verb phrase indicating a prediction or forecast. It suggests that current conditions offer minimal reasons to expect a favorable outcome. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and understandable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "bodes little" is used to express that something suggests a low likelihood of a positive outcome. Ludwig AI analysis indicates it's grammatically sound but relatively rare. It typically appears in news and media contexts, conveying a pessimistic outlook. Related phrases like "suggests minimal prospect" or "implies slight hope" offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality. When employing "bodes little", ensure the context clarifies the predicted outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

implies slight hope

Replaces "bodes little" with a direct statement of "slight hope", in a more concise manner.

projects poor prospects

Uses "projects" instead of "bodes" and "poor prospects" instead of "little", directly indicating a negative outlook.

indicates scant chance

Substitutes "bodes" with "indicates" and "little" with "scant chance", focusing on the low probability of success.

signals limited opportunity

Uses "signals" instead of "bodes" and "limited opportunity" instead of "little", emphasizing the restriction of possibilities.

suggests minimal prospect

Replaces "bodes" with a more direct synonym and "little" with "minimal prospect", increasing formality.

offers faint expectation

Emphasizes the weakness of the expectation, swapping "bodes" for "offers" and "little" for "faint expectation".

promises limited potential

Replaces "bodes" with "promises" and "little" with "limited potential", highlighting the lack of future opportunity.

foreshadows meager results

Uses "foreshadows" instead of "bodes" and "meager results" instead of "little", creating a more dramatic tone.

portends reduced likelihood

A more formal alternative, substituting "bodes" with "portends" and expressing "little" as "reduced likelihood".

augurs limited success

Replaces "bodes" with "augurs", which is a more archaic term, and replaces "little" with "limited success".

FAQs

How can I use "bodes little" in a sentence?

Use "bodes little" to express that a current situation suggests a low likelihood of a positive future outcome. For example, "The lack of progress in negotiations "bodes little" for reaching an agreement soon".

What are some alternatives to "bodes little"?

Alternatives include "suggests minimal prospect", "indicates scant chance", or "implies slight hope", each subtly altering the tone and emphasis.

Is it better to say "bodes little" or "does not bode well"?

"Bodes little" and "does not bode well" are similar in meaning, both suggesting a negative outlook. "Does not bode well" might be more commonly used, but "bodes little" offers a more concise expression.

What does "bodes little" imply about the future?

When something ""bodes little"", it suggests that the situation offers very few reasons to be optimistic about the future. It anticipates unfavorable developments.