essential blow

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "essential blow" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to emphasize a crucial or significant impact or effect of an action or event. Example: "The essential blow to the company's reputation came after the scandal was made public."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

He uses a hair dryer -- an essential tool for blowing curls out of kinky hair -- as a prop to make his point.

The New York Times

Thus one can prove some properties of solutions in a bounded domain and this is a kind of essential reflection of blow-up or singularity theory as well, see [5] and references therein.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

"When you go out to buy just a few essential things, the prices blow your mind".

The New York Times

The "slavish adoption" of the European working time directive also dealt a deadly blow to essential NHS systems, he believes.

The Guardian

But whether these efforts will be enough to push the Taliban back, or capture a city, remains to be seen.Attempts to prepare a broad-based post-Taliban government, widely accepted as essential, received a severe blow on Friday October 26th when the Taliban captured and then executed Abdul Haq, a former Mujahideen commander, who had entered the country in an attempt to rally support.

The Economist

Such disobedience is an essential part of whistle-blowing.

The Economist

Although there can be no question of Ms Wintour's promise, when it comes to dealing with tyrants or promulgating the approved Obama line on everything from Israel to extradition and climate change, her strong feelings on issues such as vintage clothing (don't), modest parentage (don't), a bad address (don't admit) and blow-dried hair (essential), continue to preoccupy some critics.

The Guardian - Opinion

Its iPhone app, for example, has a few features that, while far from mind-blowing, are pretty essential for consuming mobile video lessons.

TechCrunch

A good hair dryer is essential when you are trying to blow dry your hair straight.

WikiHow

If you need to invest in a new hair dryer, there are several things you should consider: A good hair dryer is essential when you are trying to blow dry your hair straight.

WikiHow

His Sunday night radio programme South Wind Blows (on RTÉ Radio One) is essential for anyone who loves no-nonsense music.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "essential blow" when you want to underscore the significant and necessary impact of an event or action. Ensure the context clearly conveys the importance and criticality of the blow.

Common error

Avoid using "essential blow" for minor inconveniences or slight setbacks. Reserve it for situations where the impact is genuinely critical and far-reaching.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essential blow" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "essential" modifies the noun "blow". It describes a significant and indispensable negative impact or setback. As seen in Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "essential blow" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a significant and indispensable negative impact. Ludwig AI indicates that it's correct and usable, although its frequency is rare. It appears most often in news and media, scientific, and formal business contexts. While grammatically correct, be mindful of using it appropriately, reserving it for situations where the impact is truly critical. Alternatives like "critical setback" or "significant setback" can provide similar meanings with slightly different emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

critical setback

Replaces "blow" with "setback", focusing on the negative impact on progress or plans.

significant setback

Uses "significant" instead of "essential", highlighting the importance of the setback.

crucial impact

Emphasizes the importance of the effect, replacing "blow" with a more neutral term.

vital impact

Highlights the critical nature of the impact or effect.

decisive setback

Indicates that the setback is conclusive or determining the outcome.

major setback

Highlights the significant and impactful nature of the setback.

key setback

Focuses on the importance of the setback as a critical factor.

fundamental impact

Stresses the basic or core nature of the impact.

pivotal setback

Emphasizes the turning point or decisive nature of the setback.

unavoidable setback

Suggests that the setback was inevitable and impossible to prevent.

FAQs

How can I use "essential blow" in a sentence?

Use "essential blow" when describing a critical setback or impact, such as, "The scandal delivered an "essential blow" to the company's reputation."

What can I say instead of "essential blow"?

You can use alternatives like "critical setback", "significant setback", or "crucial impact" depending on the specific context.

Is "essential blow" a formal or informal expression?

"Essential blow" is suitable for neutral to formal contexts. It's appropriate in news reports, business analyses, and academic papers, but may sound overdramatic in casual conversation.

What's the difference between "essential blow" and "decisive blow"?

"Essential blow" highlights the indispensable nature of the impact, while "decisive blow" emphasizes the conclusive or determining effect of the action.