clouded judgement

USAGE SUMMARY

"clouded judgement" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when someone is not able to think clearly or make decisions due to bias, strong emotions, or other influences. For example: She was so in love that her clouded judgement caused her to make a rash decision.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

These are idiot boys and girls having too much to drink and not being aware of their surroundings and having clouded judgement.

The Guardian

My insulin levels were extremely high, which generally caused fatigue and clouded judgement.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

There is concern that Obama's previous commitments to ending US engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq has clouded his judgement and made him appear impotent to the growing threat emanating from Syria and Iraq.

Independent

That Mr. Rich includes gay-bashing as one his indictments against Mr. Bennett, and then sounds trumpets at the financial success of hip-hop, the most violently homophobic and misogynistic cultural movement of the day, is proof positive that his anger has clouded his judgement.

The New York Times - Arts

Ms Roome was a frequent caller to the service and it was said this may have clouded the judgement of call handlers, who were "very distressed" by the outcome.

BBC

I usually find that my characters are down on their luck, that they are clouded in judgement.

Huffington Post

Looking back on his undercover operation now, Monteilh said the monthly $11,200 compensation he received "clouded his judgement," making it tough for him to question the practice.

Huffington Post

Maybe it's all the talk about vaginas and cake that has clouded my judgement, but it's all making perfect sense to me.

Vice

Maybe it's all the talk about vaginas and cake that has clouded my judgement but it's all making perfect sense to me, I'm even nodding, feeling like the stars might be aligning in my mind.

Vice

Complicating matters greatly was the fact that he'd never had sex with a man before, and hadn't even come to terms with being gay ―denied it to himself for years, consumed by homophobia―so a mix of powerful physical and emotional impulses clouded his judgement.

Huffington Post

The committee's members claim the email shows an overly close relationship between Hartnett and Morse which may have clouded Morse's judgement.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "clouded judgement" to describe situations where emotions, stress, or external factors negatively impact someone's ability to think clearly and make sound decisions.

Common error

While acceptable in many contexts, consider using more formal alternatives like "impaired judgment" or "compromised decision-making" in highly professional or academic writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clouded judgement" functions as a noun phrase where "clouded" modifies "judgement", indicating a state of impaired or obscured decision-making ability. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "clouded judgement" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe impaired decision-making. Though relatively rare in occurrence, according to Ludwig's analysis, its usage is contextually appropriate in describing scenarios where factors like stress or emotion affect one's ability to think clearly. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is a correct and usable phrase in written English, meaning writers can confidently use "clouded judgement" in their work. Consider synonyms like "impaired judgment" or "compromised decision-making" for more formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impaired judgment

Replaces "clouded" with a synonym "impaired", maintaining the core meaning of diminished decision-making ability.

compromised judgement

Uses "compromised" to emphasize that the judgement is weakened or damaged.

poor decision-making

A more general term for making bad choices.

biased decision-making

Focuses on the influence of bias as the cause of poor judgement.

faulty reasoning

Highlights the flawed logic behind the judgement.

irrational thinking

Emphasizes the lack of rational thought processes.

warped perspective

Focuses on the distorted viewpoint leading to poor choices.

distorted perception

Focuses on the inaccurate understanding of the situation.

unclear thinking

Highlights the lack of clarity in the thought process.

influenced decision

Highlights the state of being affected or determined by another person or thing.

FAQs

How can I use "clouded judgement" in a sentence?

You can use "clouded judgement" to describe a situation where someone's ability to think clearly is impaired, such as: "Her /s/clouded+judgement caused her to make a hasty decision" or "Stress led to /s/clouded+judgement and poor choices".

What are some synonyms for "clouded judgement"?

Alternatives to "clouded judgement" include "impaired judgment", "faulty reasoning", or "poor decision-making", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What factors can lead to "clouded judgement"?

Several factors can contribute to "clouded judgement", including stress, fatigue, strong emotions, alcohol consumption, or bias.

Is "clouded judgement" the same as "bad judgement"?

While similar, "clouded judgement" suggests the presence of impairing factors that affect decision-making, whereas "bad judgement" simply indicates a poor choice, regardless of the cause.