disastrous outcomes

USAGE SUMMARY

"disastrous outcomes" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It refers to very negative or harmful results or consequences of a particular action, event, or decision. Example: The government's failure to address climate change could lead to disastrous outcomes for future generations.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

"It can lead to disastrous outcomes".

The New York Times - Health

This has led to some disastrous outcomes.

Harvard Business Review

These challenges can lead to negative, even disastrous, outcomes.

Energy

Keep in mind, too, that averages mask both exceptional and disastrous outcomes.

The New York Times

Political parties are, essentially, built to insure disastrous outcomes like this one.

The New Yorker

Failure to detect large deletions could lead to disastrous outcomes in potential clinical applications.

Nature

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

Either is a disastrous outcome.

The Guardian - Sport

Hence the second, disastrous outcome: Grexit.

The Economist

The tragic death of Abbie Benford illustrated this disastrous outcome.

Harvard University

Delays could result in a disastrous outcome,' warns Stowe.

The Guardian - Money

Even for the predators, this would be a disastrous outcome.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about potential risks or negative consequences, use "disastrous outcomes" to emphasize the severity and highlight the need for careful consideration or preventive action.

Common error

Avoid using "disastrous outcomes" when describing situations with minor or easily recoverable setbacks. This phrase is best reserved for scenarios with truly severe and irreversible consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "disastrous outcomes" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "disastrous" modifies the noun "outcomes". According to Ludwig, the phrase describes extremely negative and harmful results.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

35%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "disastrous outcomes" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes very negative consequences. As confirmed by Ludwig, it appears across diverse contexts, from news reports to scientific studies, signaling its broad applicability in formal and neutral settings. When employing this phrase, it's best to reserve it for situations that genuinely warrant such a strong description, and consider alternatives like "catastrophic results" or "terrible consequences" when a less severe tone is appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

catastrophic results

Replaces "outcomes" with "results" and "disastrous" with "catastrophic", both implying severe damage or suffering.

terrible consequences

Substitutes "disastrous" with "terrible" and "outcomes" with "consequences", offering a less formal alternative with a similar negative impact.

calamitous effects

Uses "calamitous" instead of "disastrous" and "effects" instead of "outcomes", providing a slightly more formal and impactful alternative.

devastating repercussions

Replaces "disastrous" with "devastating" and "outcomes" with "repercussions", emphasizing the far-reaching and destructive nature of the consequences.

ruinous consequences

Employs "ruinous" to highlight the destructive impact, similar to "disastrous", while using "consequences" as an alternative to "outcomes".

tragic results

Focuses on the sadness and loss associated with the outcomes, using "tragic" to convey the emotional impact.

grievous effects

Substitutes "disastrous" with "grievous", emphasizing the severity and painful nature of the effects.

dire consequences

Utilizes "dire" to highlight the urgent and terrible nature of the outcomes, creating a sense of impending doom.

harmful ramifications

Replaces "disastrous" with "harmful" and "outcomes" with "ramifications", focusing on the damaging and complex spread of effects.

unfavorable results

Offers a milder alternative, replacing "disastrous" with "unfavorable" to downplay the severity while still conveying a negative outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "disastrous outcomes" in a sentence?

You can use "disastrous outcomes" to describe severely negative results. For example, "The lack of preparation led to "disastrous outcomes" for the project."

What are some alternatives to "disastrous outcomes"?

Alternatives include "catastrophic results", "terrible consequences", or "calamitous effects" depending on the specific context.

Which is more appropriate: "negative outcomes" or "disastrous outcomes"?

"Negative outcomes" is a general term for unfavorable results. "Disastrous outcomes" implies a far greater severity and should be used when the consequences are exceptionally damaging or destructive.

What's the difference between "consequences" and "outcomes" in relation to "disastrous"?

While both "consequences" and "outcomes" can be used with "disastrous", "outcomes" often refers to the immediate results of an action, whereas "consequences" can encompass the broader, longer-term effects. They are largely interchangeable though.