cold hard data

USAGE SUMMARY

"cold hard data" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to facts or data that are indisputable or objective. For example, "The cold hard data showed that our sales increased by 25% last quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Is it a game of soft and fuzzy intuition, or of cold hard data?

The New York Times

Their work provided – literally – cold, hard data about the Earth's climate and how it has varied through time.

The Guardian

As Virginia tells Bill during a brilliantly awkward discussion of chemistry and attraction, science can't account for everything – sometimes there's more to a story than cold, hard data.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

As I wrote in an article published Monday, Google relies on cold hard data in a field dominated by intuition and connections.

The New York Times

But that is not to say that Google, where data is religion, does not back up sentimental branding efforts with cold, hard data.

The New York Times - Tech

The report adds cold, hard data to what has long been known among education reformers and the high-achieving charter schools they champion: Getting low-income "first-generation" kids into college is hard.

Stanford University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

So I think it's worthwhile to devote a couple follow-on posts to the reactions, questions, and objections raised in response to my contention, which was (and is) that we should generally be relying a lot less on the judgments, diagnoses, and forecasts of human 'experts,' and a lot more on the outputs of cold, hard, data-driven algorithms.

Harvard Business Review

The same thing I've been compiling cold, hard government data on since 1980: By crucial metrics like GDP, job creation, business investment and avoiding recessions, the economy does a lot better with Democrats in the White House than with Republicans.

Forbes

They bring so much heart, so much caring, so much empathy, which can often make them look at problems and situations in a different way than someone might if they're just looking at cold hard facts and data.

Columbia University

Marketers the world over are making decisions based on cold hard facts AKA data.

Forbes

Studies and data aside, cold hard evidence comes from the men in the trenches the accountants themselves.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cold hard data", ensure that the data is indeed verifiable and from reliable sources to maintain credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "cold hard data" to support claims without proper context or understanding, as this can lead to misinterpretations and flawed conclusions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cold hard data" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object in a sentence. It's used to emphasize that the information being presented is factual and objective. Ludwig examples confirm that this phrase is often employed when discussing statistics or verifiable evidence.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Academia

19%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

3%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cold hard data" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to emphasize objective and verifiable facts. According to Ludwig, it is mostly found in News & Media, Academia and Formal & Business contexts, this term lends credibility and authority to discussions, arguments, or analyses. When using this phrase, ensure the data is verifiable and correctly interpreted to avoid misinterpretations. Alternatives like "indisputable facts" or "concrete evidence" can be used depending on the intended nuance. Ensure the data is from reliable sources. This phrase is suitable for professional, academic, and journalistic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard facts

Synonymous term, removing "cold" aspect, but the core meaning is the same.

indisputable facts

Emphasizes the undeniable nature of the information, focusing on its validity.

concrete evidence

Highlights the tangible and verifiable nature of the proof.

objective information

Focuses on the unbiased and impartial quality of the data.

verifiable statistics

Stresses the confirmable and numerical aspect of the data.

unquestionable figures

Emphasizes the lack of doubt surrounding the numerical values.

factual findings

Highlights the results obtained through a process of investigation.

empirical results

Emphasizes that findings are based on observation or experiment.

raw numbers

Highlights data in its original, unprocessed form.

solid data

Focuses on reliability and dependability of data.

FAQs

How can I use "cold hard data" in a sentence?

You can use "cold hard data" to emphasize objective facts. For example, "The "cold hard data" proves that our marketing strategy is effective".

What's a good substitute for "cold hard data"?

Alternatives include "indisputable facts", "concrete evidence", or "objective information", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "cold hard facts"?

While "cold hard data" and "hard facts" are similar, "cold hard data" often emphasizes a more statistical or analytical basis, while "hard facts" can refer to any undeniable truth.

When is it appropriate to use "cold hard data" in writing?

Use "cold hard data" when you want to present information as undeniably factual and based on verifiable evidence, especially in analytical or persuasive contexts.