excessively negative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessively negative" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is overly pessimistic or critical beyond what is reasonable. Example: "Her excessively negative attitude during the meeting discouraged the team from sharing their ideas."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

Fowler later said United were excessively negative.

The Guardian - Sport

Others object to its "excessively negative" portrayal of Serbia.

The Guardian - Film

But don't be put off by excessively negative reviews.

Independent

There is an excessively negative portrayal of the whole idea, feeling and tradition of Irish nationalism.

The Guardian - Books

This may be an excessively negative view of the utility of regulatory authorities.

The Guardian - Books

This is a positive reshaping of the previously excessively negative unionist case.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

Chronic stress over weeks or months can produce so much cortisol that the brain focuses excessively on negative memories and perceives threats where they do not exist.

The Economist

An intermediate diversity is thought to be due to a combined action of parasite-mediated selection and an excessively strong negative T-cell selection that takes place under high individual MHC diversity [ 55].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Notice when you are having excessively pessimistic or negative thoughts, and tell yourself "I'm being very negative right now".

WikiHow

"So not excessively excessive.

The New York Times

But even economists who had no interest in this aspect of Keynes's life, like the economist James Buchanan, have criticized Keynesian economics for its excessively short-term focus and negative long-run consequences.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "excessively negative", ensure the context clearly illustrates why the negativity is considered beyond a reasonable or acceptable level. Provide specific examples or evidence to support the claim.

Common error

Avoid using "excessively negative" as a general descriptor without providing context. Quantify or qualify the negativity to give the statement more weight and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessively negative" functions as an intensifier (excessively) modifying an adjective (negative). It serves to emphasize the degree or extent of negativity. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is commonly used and grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

40%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

3%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "excessively negative" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe something that is overly pessimistic or critical. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and usability. As shown by Ludwig, this phrase appears most frequently in news and media, as well as scientific contexts. When using "excessively negative", it's important to provide specific examples to justify why the negativity is deemed unreasonable. Alternatives include "exceptionally negative" and "unduly negative", among others. While versatile, ensure its use is supported by clear evidence to avoid mere subjective judgment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exceptionally negative

Replaces "excessively" with "exceptionally", emphasizing the negativity to a greater degree.

highly negative

Uses "highly" instead of "excessively", indicating a strong degree of negativity.

unduly negative

Substitutes "excessively" with "unduly", suggesting the negativity is unwarranted or inappropriate.

extremely negative

Replaces "excessively" with "extremely", conveying a very high level of negativity.

overly negative

Uses "overly" instead of "excessively", implying there is too much negativity.

unnecessarily negative

Indicates the negativity is not needed or justified.

inordinately negative

Replaces "excessively" with "inordinately", suggesting the negativity is beyond what is normal or reasonable.

disproportionately negative

Indicates negativity is out of proportion to the situation.

too negative

A simpler way to express that something is more negative than it should be.

exaggeratedly negative

Emphasizes that the negativity is an overstatement or not entirely based on facts.

FAQs

How can I use "excessively negative" in a sentence?

You can use "excessively negative" to describe attitudes, portrayals, or impacts that are beyond what is reasonable or acceptable. For instance, "The review was "overly critical" and could be seen as "excessively negative"."

What are some alternatives to saying "excessively negative"?

Alternatives include "exceptionally negative", "highly negative", or "unduly negative", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to use "excessively negative" or "very negative"?

"Excessively negative" suggests a degree of negativity that is beyond what is appropriate or justifiable, while "very negative" simply indicates a high degree of negativity. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the inappropriateness of the negativity.

What does it mean when something is described as "excessively negative"?

When something is described as "excessively negative", it means that its negativity is considered to be beyond what is reasonable, necessary, or appropriate in a given situation. It suggests an overabundance of pessimism or criticism.