damning letter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "damning letter" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to describe a letter that has strong criticisms or accusations. For example: The disgruntled employee wrote a damning letter to the company outlining her various complaints.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

But the front page of Friday's Mail & Guardian newspaper carried a picture of Jordaan in suit and sunglasses kicking a football beside the headline: "Jordaan's damning letter to Fifa".

The Guardian - Sport

Won by Scott Morrison's media team for redacting 23 questions – mostly from Guardian Australia – in the official transcript of an Operation Sovereign Borders press conference, at which the immigration minister was pushed on a damning letter from doctors on Christmas Island detailing the state of medical malpractice.

The Guardian

In a damning letter to fellow board members, Rabbatts complains that she and other directors were not consulted before the first appointments to the commission were announced.

BBC

The Guardian has seen a damning letter from Noah Gelber, dancer and choreo-grapher with the William Forsythe company, to Cindy Sughrue, Scottish Ballet's chief executive.

The Guardian

Mr Piëch questioned the authenticity of a potentially damning letter supposedly sent to him in 2003 by a disgruntled employee in order to alert him to money lavished on supervisory-board and workers'-council members.In this section From major to minor Everything's gone Blu No fun and games What did he know?

The Economist

The $1.86 billion legal battle between ride-hailing giant Uber and Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo reached a pivotal moment today as the judge in the case released a damning letter based on the account of a former Uber employee.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

In the damning letters to the holiday firm's former chief executive Harriet Green, father Neil Shepherd described how the family were made to feel "secondary" by its failure to respond, and accused Thomas Cook of putting its business interests before the deaths of Christi, seven, and Bobby, six.

Independent

Lord Prescott has gone public for the first time about letters he received while in government from Prince Charles, defending the future monarch's right to "write as many damn letters as he likes".

The Guardian

"And if he wants to serve his subjects by helping young people into work, combating climate change and building sustainable communities, he can write as many damn letters as he likes".

The Guardian

Lug all my clothes, all my books, and all my records into the park, pile them up on the grass, plus my bed and desk, typewriter, diaries, and all the damned letters I had received, in fact everything that carried the tiniest hint of a memory: into the fire with it.

The New Yorker

And, for the love of God, those damn letters are still in play; of course she saw Jax stash them a few feet away from her office.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "damning letter", ensure the context clearly establishes the severity and negative impact of the letter's content. Avoid overuse to maintain its impact.

Common error

Avoid using "damning letter" for mildly critical correspondence. It should be reserved for letters containing severe accusations or condemnations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "damning letter" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "damning" modifies the noun "letter". It describes a specific type of letter characterized by its damaging or accusatory content. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

17%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "damning letter" is a noun phrase used to describe a letter containing severe criticism or accusations. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. Although the phrase is not as common, it is used in contexts such as News and Media and Wiki sources. It's crucial to reserve it for correspondence with significantly negative and impactful content, avoiding its application to merely critical feedback. Alternatives include "condemnatory letter" or "incriminating letter". As Ludwig AI confirms, using the phrase accurately conveys the severity and potential repercussions of the letter's contents.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

condemnatory letter

Emphasizes the act of condemnation within the letter.

damning correspondence

Replaces "letter" with a broader term for written communication.

scathing letter

Highlights the severity and harshness of the letter's content.

incriminating letter

Focuses on the letter's potential to prove guilt or wrongdoing.

critical letter

Indicates the letter contains strong criticisms.

devastating letter

Emphasizes the damaging impact of the letter's content.

accusatory letter

Highlights the presence of accusations within the letter.

damning report

Changes the medium from a letter to a report, while maintaining the critical nature.

damning indictment

Implies a formal accusation, often in a legal context.

damning evidence

Shifts the focus from the letter itself to the information it contains.

FAQs

What does "damning letter" mean?

A "damning letter" is a written message containing severe criticism, accusations, or evidence that strongly suggests wrongdoing or culpability. It's a letter that is extremely damaging to the recipient's reputation or position.

How to use "damning letter" in a sentence?

You can use "damning letter" in sentences like: "The investigation was triggered by a "damning letter" from a whistleblower" or "The CEO resigned after the board received a "damning letter" outlining his misconduct".

What can I say instead of "damning letter"?

Alternatives to "damning letter" include "condemnatory letter", "scathing letter", or "incriminating letter". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to describe a simple complaint as a "damning letter"?

No, the term "damning letter" implies a high degree of severity and potential consequences. Describing a simple complaint as such would be an overstatement. Use more appropriate terms like "critical letter" or "letter of complaint" instead.