continues to harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "continues to harm" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing negative impact or damage caused by a person, action, or situation. Example: "The pollution from the factory continues to harm the local wildlife and ecosystem."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Yet an avalanche of fraud continues to harm both patients and health-care programs.

The New Yorker

Acid rain continues to harm aquatic life in Adirondack streams, according to a study presented last week at the Northeast Natural History Conference.

The New York Times

If the NSA takes the entire six months to stop indiscriminately collecting our data it is in violation of the spirit of the transition and needlessly continues to harm the privacy of users en masse.

The Guardian

Robert Fullilove, a professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Columbia Mailman School, and colleagues envision a series of events at the School and across the country to draw attention to this anniversary, as a way to commemorate past struggles and see a way beyond an "ecology of inequality" that continues to harm African-Americans and other marginalized groups.

Columbia University

"Poor quality of care — worsening pressure sores or untreated weight loss — in a small but unacceptably high number of nursing homes continues to harm residents or place them in immediate jeopardy, that is, at risk of death or serious injury," the report said.

The New York Times

Apparently, ambiguity at the heart of Walmart's revised policy continues to harm pregnant workers.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"And this discrimination and misconduct will continue to harm us and others".

The New York Times

But it also shows that we continue to harm the natural systems that sustain our prosperity.

The Guardian

And the growing number of promotional and network fiefdoms continue to harm the sport.

The Guardian - Sport

X-ray machines are harmfull to humans, and USA Obama department wants them to continue to harm US citizens.

University of California, Berkeley

And it all but guarantees that preventable illnesses will continue to harm people and put children's lives in danger.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "continues to harm", ensure the subject clearly identifies what is causing the ongoing damage. Clarity helps avoid ambiguity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "continues to harm" excessively in passive constructions, as it can weaken the sentence. Instead of "the environment continues to be harmed by pollution", try "pollution continues to harm the environment" for a more direct and impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "continues to harm" functions as a verb phrase within a sentence, indicating an ongoing action that has a detrimental effect. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms this usage through various examples where the phrase is used to describe persistent negative impacts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "continues to harm" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe ongoing negative impacts across various contexts. As analyzed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and suitable for neutral to formal registers. The primary function is to highlight persistent damage, whether in news, academic discourse, or business communication. While "continues to harm" is a clear and direct way to express ongoing harm, consider alternatives like "persistently undermines" or "perpetuates damage" for nuanced expression. Remembering to use active voice with this phrase will ensure clarity and impact in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

persist in causing damage

This alternative emphasizes the ongoing nature of the harmful action, highlighting the persistence involved.

continues to inflict damage

Replaces "harm" with "inflict damage", focusing on the act of causing damage and its continuous nature.

ongoing detrimental effects

Shifts from an active verb to a noun phrase, focusing on the continuous detrimental consequences.

remains damaging

This option simplifies the structure while retaining the core meaning of a continuing negative impact.

persistently undermines

This alternative focuses on the action of weakening or eroding something over time.

sustains adverse impacts

Uses more formal language to describe the continuation of negative effects.

perpetuates damage

Highlights the ongoing and often cyclical nature of the harm being caused.

protracts harm

Focuses on the lengthening or extending of the harmful effects.

is still detrimental

A straightforward way to express that something continues to have negative effects.

further exacerbates damage

This alternative emphasizes the worsening of existing damage.

FAQs

How can I use "continues to harm" in a sentence?

You can use "continues to harm" to describe an ongoing negative impact. For example, "The ambiguity at the heart of Walmart's revised policy "continues to harm" pregnant workers".

What are some alternatives to "continues to harm"?

Alternatives include phrases like "persist in causing damage", "remains damaging", or "ongoing detrimental effects", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "continues to harm" or "continues harming"?

"Continues to harm" is generally preferred because it maintains a clearer grammatical structure. "Continues harming" can sound awkward in some contexts. Using the infinitive form "to harm" often provides better readability.

What's the difference between "continues to harm" and "continues harming"?

While both phrases convey an ongoing action with negative consequences, "continues to harm" is more grammatically standard and widely accepted. "Continues harming" might be seen as less formal or slightly awkward in formal writing.