excessive discussions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessive discussions" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe conversations or debates that are overly lengthy or numerous, often implying that they are unnecessary or unproductive. Example: "The meeting was unproductive due to the excessive discussions that went on without reaching any conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Excessive discussions about procedure do this to a movement – distract members from proper activism.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Indeed, they climbed with relatively little conflict, albeit with constant, even excessive discussion.

Science Magazine

2) There seems to be excessive discussion about family 3 despite substantial ambiguity regarding the etiology of disease.

eLife

I would note that this paper (and I think the accompanying one as well) are heavily "overspecified", to the extent that there is a danger to completely drawn an interesting idea in a muddy waters of weak argumentation and excessive discussion.

Biology Direct

The most common "main academic problem" cited in 2000 was excessive political discussions (58% of students), while in 2007 it was low student performance (32% of students).

BMC Health Services Research

"So not excessively excessive.

The New York Times

Trust and openness are key to good dynamics within a company, while negative energies start a vicious cycle (like passive aggressive behavior vs. open discussion, excessive politics vs. meritocracy, undermining co-workers/leaders vs. constructive criticism and support, assigning blame vs. taking ownership).

TechCrunch

For a girl from one of those small, intensely liberal schools where dating consisted mainly of excessive caffeine and sympathetic discussions of Kierkegaard, this role-playing took some getting used to.

The New York Times - Travel

While this is an important subject, the discussion seems excessive in a book about personal finance.

The New York Times

David Cameron, the British prime minister, said the amounts of money under discussion were excessive and warned that "if they don't come down, there won't be a deal".

The New York Times

The flight crew was criticised for not maintaining a sterile cockpit during the landing, with excessive non-flight related discussion going on throughout the flight.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "excessive discussions", ensure the context clearly indicates that the discussions are hindering progress or are disproportionate to the matter at hand.

Common error

Avoid using "excessive discussions" when simply describing thorough or comprehensive discussions that are actually necessary and productive, even if lengthy. Ensure the "excessive" aspect is genuinely negative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessive discussions" functions as a noun phrase, where "excessive" modifies the noun "discussions". It is used to describe conversations or debates that are considered overly lengthy, numerous, or unproductive. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "excessive discussions" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase describing conversations that are too long or frequent, often hindering progress. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not extremely common, it is found in various contexts, including news, science, and business, indicating its broad applicability. Related phrases include "lengthy debates" and "unproductive dialogues". When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly indicates the discussions are indeed hindering progress. Be mindful of misinterpreting thorough discussions as "excessive discussions". By considering these nuances, writers can effectively use "excessive discussions" to convey their intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lengthy deliberations

Emphasizes the extended duration of the deliberations using "lengthy" instead of "excessive".

protracted deliberations

Replaces "discussions" with a more formal term and "excessive" with "protracted", emphasizing the extended duration of the deliberations.

overlong debates

Substitutes "discussions" with "debates" and "excessive" with "overlong", highlighting the excessive length of the debates.

unproductive dialogues

Changes "discussions" to "dialogues" and "excessive" to "unproductive", emphasizing the lack of positive outcomes from the dialogues.

drawn-out conversations

Uses "conversations" instead of "discussions" and "drawn-out" for "excessive", highlighting the prolonged nature of the conversations.

needless arguments

Replaces "discussions" with "arguments" and "excessive" with "needless", focusing on the unnecessary nature of the arguments.

redundant discourse

Uses more formal terms, replacing "discussions" with "discourse" and "excessive" with "redundant", highlighting the repetitive nature of the communication.

overblown exchanges

Substitutes "discussions" with "exchanges" and "excessive" with "overblown", indicating inflated or exaggerated interactions.

inordinate amount of talk

Replaces "discussions" with "talk" and "excessive" with "inordinate amount of", changing the structure while maintaining the meaning.

unnecessary back-and-forth

Replaces "discussions" with "back-and-forth" and "excessive" with "unnecessary", emphasizing the redundant nature of the exchange.

FAQs

How can I use "excessive discussions" in a sentence?

You might say, "The project was delayed due to "excessive discussions" about minor details." This illustrates how overlong conversations can impede progress.

What are some alternatives to "excessive discussions"?

Consider using alternatives such as "lengthy debates", "protracted deliberations", or "unproductive dialogues" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "excessive discussion" or "excessive discussions" more appropriate?

While both are grammatically correct, "excessive discussion" is often used in a more general sense, while ""excessive discussions"" implies multiple instances or a pattern of overlong conversations.

What is the difference between "excessive discussions" and "thorough discussions"?

"Excessive discussions" suggests that the conversations are unnecessarily long or detailed, hindering progress, while "thorough discussions" simply indicates that the conversations are comprehensive and detailed, without necessarily being negative.