excessive assistance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessive assistance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where help or support provided is more than what is necessary or appropriate. Example: "The teacher's excessive assistance during the project led to students becoming overly reliant on her guidance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The slumming Shakespearean brings a certain literate twinkle to proceedings, and with wittily excessive assistance from master designers Sandy Powell and Dante Ferretti, he boasts a keener sense of spectacle than many a tentpole journeyman.

The Guardian - Film

Murphy came up the hard way, a classic career politician (nine years a Strathclyde student but he never graduated), but tough enough to his "100 days, 100 towns" tour last summer and take a lot of "warm yes welcomes" without excessive assistance from Police Scotland, a force which knows who butters its bread nowadays.

The Guardian

However, a potential problem with most robotic controllers is the provision of excessive assistance.

BioMed Research International

Auto-cycling, which results in excessive assistance and can be due to excessive triggering sensitivity or leaks, is difficult to detect.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Economists say excessive government assistance to small and medium-size companies works to dampen competitive pressure.

The New York Times

Recognizing dyssynchrony is important because it can indicate dynamic hyperinflation and may lead to excessive ventilatory assistance [ 55] and induce delays in weaning from mechanical ventilation [ 56] and severe sleep disruption [ 57].

Critical Care

Under European Union rules, companies receiving government aid must reduce their presence on the market and cannot gain excessive competitive advantage from the assistance.

The New York Times

Instead, he said, Rome would examine further possible assistance measures "to avoid excessive risk premiums that cost dearly for the country issuing debt".

The New York Times

If coughing up blood, excessive vomiting, etc., occurs, seek medical assistance.

WikiHow

He found that recipients faced excessive waits in getting services like rent assistance and that the city's case managers had too many cases.

The New York Times

Sabin needed serious medical assistance afterwards backstage due to excessive bleeding from the mouth.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic writing, consider using "excessive assistance" when discussing robotic controllers which can encourage patients to minimize their efforts during the rehabilitation process.

Common error

Avoid phrasing sentences in the passive voice when describing "excessive assistance". Instead of "The patient was given excessive assistance", opt for a more direct and active construction like "The caregiver provided excessive assistance", which clarifies who is giving the help.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessive assistance" primarily functions as a noun phrase modifier. The adjective "excessive" describes the degree or amount of "assistance". As Ludwig AI shows, it can be used to describe circumstances where support is beyond necessary or appropriate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "excessive assistance" refers to situations where the help provided is more than necessary, potentially leading to negative consequences. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically sound and suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and formal communications. It is often used to express concern about the impact of too much support. When using this phrase, consider the specific nuance you want to convey and whether alternative phrases like "undue assistance" or "overly generous help" might be more appropriate. Be mindful of using active voice to clearly identify who is providing the assistance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

undue assistance

Replaces "excessive" with "undue", suggesting that the help is inappropriate or unwarranted.

overly generous help

Replaces "assistance" with "help" and uses "overly generous" to describe the excessive nature.

disproportionate help

Focuses on the imbalance or inappropriateness of the amount of help given.

unwarranted support

Emphasizes that the support is not justified or necessary.

gratuitous aid

Suggests the help is freely given but unnecessary or even unwelcome.

superfluous help

Highlights that the help is more than sufficient or required.

inordinate assistance

Uses "inordinate" to convey that the assistance is beyond reasonable limits.

exaggerated help

Implies that the help provided is amplified beyond what is needed.

needless aid

Indicates that the assistance is not required in the situation.

over-the-top support

A more informal way of expressing that the support is excessive or exaggerated.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "excessive assistance" in a sentence?

You can replace "excessive assistance" with alternatives such as "undue assistance", "overly generous help", or "disproportionate help" depending on the context.

Is "excessive assistance" a formal or informal phrase?

"Excessive assistance" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, the surrounding language and the specific nuance you wish to convey might influence your choice of words. For example, "gratuitous aid" might be more formal.

When is providing assistance considered "excessive"?

Assistance is considered "excessive" when it hinders the recipient's progress, creates dependency, or is not necessary for achieving a specific goal. Providing too much support can prevent individuals from developing their own skills or problem-solving abilities.

What's the difference between "excessive assistance" and "helpful support"?

"Helpful support" implies that the assistance is beneficial and appropriate for the situation. In contrast, "excessive assistance" suggests that the help is more than what is needed, potentially leading to negative consequences. Consider the necessity and impact of the assistance being provided before determining if it is simply helpful or actually "over-the-top support".