cause undue harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cause undue harm" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to express that an action or decision may result in excessive or unnecessary damage or suffering. Example: "The proposed changes to the policy could cause undue harm to vulnerable communities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Women deserve a test that is effective and accurate and that doesn't cause undue harm.

The New York Times

The list of behaviors that cause undue harm to others is long.

The New York Times

American individualism traditionally favors letting people do as they please, so long as they don't cause undue harm to others.

The New York Times

But in reducing spending, government needs to ensure any changes will not cause undue harm to millions.

The New York Times

That may seem to be a good way to get tough on deadbeat dads, but it will cause undue harm.

The New York Times

She said parts of the current bill, which has the support of a supermajority of council members, might cause "undue harm" to businesses in a shaky economy.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

So, rather than focusing on the ugly side of ourselves that separates us from each other and causes undue harm, offer students opportunities to demonstrate kindness, respect, and compassion for one another.

University of California, Berkeley

The family doctor expects to be educated on the nuances of an individual's case but the transition from specialist to family doctor is notoriously lacking in detail, with no clear communication or education about the unique health needs of cancer survivors and how to provide monitoring without causing undue harm from over-surveillance.

The Guardian

It shows that the protecting virus without causing undue harm plays a key role in HLB virus control in plants.

Advances in Difference Equations

For example, when some health professionals raised concerns that lung cancer screening, such as imaging tests and biopsies, may be causing undue harm, efforts were undertaken to track patients and collect data on outcomes.

Forbes

It could be very costly to implement and has the potential for causing undue harm to people".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When evaluating potential actions, use the phrase "cause undue harm" to explicitly consider and address potential negative consequences, ensuring a balanced decision-making process.

Common error

Avoid using overly technical or euphemistic language when discussing potential harm. Clearly and directly stating that an action might "cause undue harm" ensures that the severity and nature of the potential negative impact are fully understood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause undue harm" functions as a verb phrase, where "cause" is the main verb and "undue harm" is the direct object. This structure expresses that someone or something is responsible for bringing about excessive or unwarranted damage. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a valid and usable expression.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cause undue harm" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey that an action or situation results in unnecessary or excessive damage. As validated by Ludwig AI, this phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, Academia and Science. While it is a valid way to express a possible or real harm, using other forms like "inflict unnecessary damage" or "result in disproportionate injury" could be more appropriate in a formal setting. When employing the phrase, it's important to be direct and clear about the potential negative impacts to ensure they are fully understood and addressed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inflict unnecessary damage

Replaces "cause" with "inflict" and "undue harm" with "unnecessary damage", focusing on the avoidable nature of the harm.

create excessive suffering

Substitutes "cause" with "create" and "undue harm" with "excessive suffering", emphasizing the intensity of the negative impact.

result in disproportionate injury

Uses "result in" instead of "cause" and replaces "undue harm" with "disproportionate injury", highlighting the imbalance between action and consequence.

lead to unwarranted damage

Replaces "cause" with "lead to" and "undue harm" with "unwarranted damage", suggesting the harm is unjustified.

generate needless distress

Substitutes "cause" with "generate" and "undue harm" with "needless distress", focusing on the creation of unnecessary emotional suffering.

precipitate unreasonable adversity

Uses "precipitate" instead of "cause" and replaces "undue harm" with "unreasonable adversity", emphasizing the hardship caused.

bring about excessive hardship

Replaces "cause" with "bring about" and "undue harm" with "excessive hardship", focusing on the difficulties created.

inflict unwarranted suffering

Replaces "cause" with "inflict" and "undue harm" with "unwarranted suffering", focusing on unjustified emotional or physical pain.

produce unnecessary disadvantage

Substitutes "cause" with "produce" and "undue harm" with "unnecessary disadvantage", focusing on unfair or avoidable negative outcomes.

generate unwarranted impairment

Replaces "cause" with "generate" and "undue harm" with "unwarranted impairment", emphasizing the resulting damage or disability is unjustified.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "cause undue harm" to sound more formal?

In more formal contexts, you could use phrases like "inflict unnecessary damage", "result in disproportionate injury", or "lead to unwarranted damage" to convey a similar meaning with a heightened level of formality.

What's a simpler way to say "cause undue harm"?

For simpler alternatives, consider phrases like "do unnecessary damage" or "cause needless suffering". These options are more direct and easier to understand in everyday conversation.

Is it always negative to "cause undue harm"?

Yes, the phrase "cause undue harm" always carries a negative connotation. It indicates that an action or situation is resulting in unnecessary or excessive damage, suffering, or negative consequences.

What is the difference between "cause undue harm" and "cause unnecessary harm"?

While very similar, "cause undue harm" implies that the harm is not only unnecessary but also excessive or disproportionate to the situation. "Cause unnecessary harm" simply highlights that the harm could have been avoided.