generate harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "generate harm" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing actions, behaviors, or policies that result in negative consequences or damage. Example: "The new policy may inadvertently generate harm to the community it aims to support."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Nursing care services are provided to patients in an environment with complex interactions that can generate harm, errors and unintended outcomes.

BMC Nursing

Vasoactive medications, for example, are only of use in the septic patient with refractory hypotension, and mechanical ventilation does not help the patient without respiratory insufficiency; indeed, intervention in the absence of a clearly established need may generate harm.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

One standard view of reliance emphasizes its role as the mechanism by which defendant's misrepresentation generates harm to the plaintiff.

Harvard University

"For too long, they have generated harm and offense as expressions of white supremacy," reads the petition, in a city which "preaches tolerance and equity".

The Guardian - Arts

E. andrei earthworms act as indicators for a soil to support disposal of swine manure without generating harm to agriculture and ecosystems.

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

I have argued for many years that human communication generates harm that is largely emotional and immaterial and that civil legal remedies and criminal sanctions should be proportionately restorative and avoid the temptation for popular penalism.

The Guardian

Surveys that perpetuate the myth that cybercrime makes for easy money are harmful because they encourage hopeful, if misinformed, new entrants, who generate more harm for users than profit for themselves.

The New York Times

"But let's also remember that the cost of living is different in Manhattan than in Little Rock and many other places". "Making 15 the new 10, in terms of minimum wage increases, could potentially generate more harm than good," Harry J. Holzer, a former chief economist at the Labor Department under President Bill Clinton, wrote last month.

The Washington Post

As a result, the justice system can actually furthermore victimize children and generate more harm than redress.

Unicef

"The attempt to prohibit people from using these substances generates ancillary harm.

BBC

As a result, justice systems sometimes end up generating further harm than redress.

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing potential consequences, use "generate harm" to highlight the process by which an action or policy might lead to negative outcomes.

Common error

Avoid using "generate harm" in casual conversation; simpler phrases like "cause trouble" or "create problems" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "generate harm" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of causing or producing negative consequences. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in discussing unintended outcomes or potential risks.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "generate harm" is a verb phrase used to describe the act of causing negative consequences or damage. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig, it is a relatively rare expression. Its usage spans across various contexts, including science, news media, and academia, suggesting a neutral to formal register. When writing, it's important to consider the context and audience; in more casual settings, simpler alternatives like "cause harm" or "create problems" might be more appropriate. Remember, "generate harm" often implies a process or mechanism leading to the negative outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cause harm

Replaces "generate" with "cause", emphasizing direct causation.

inflict harm

Uses "inflict" to suggest a deliberate or forceful action of causing harm.

produce harm

Substitutes "generate" with "produce", indicating the creation of harm.

create damage

Replaces "harm" with "damage", focusing on the destructive aspect.

lead to damage

Emphasizes the consequence of leading to a state of damage.

give rise to harm

Emphasizes the origination of harm from something else.

result in damage

Focuses on the outcome or consequence of an action being damage.

precipitate damage

Suggests that harm happens abruptly as a direct consequence.

induce injury

Replaces "harm" with "injury", focusing on physical or emotional hurt.

spawn damage

Implies that harm has grown from an initial state.

FAQs

How can I use "generate harm" in a sentence?

You can use "generate harm" when describing something that produces negative consequences, such as "The proposed policy could generate harm to small businesses".

What are some alternatives to "generate harm"?

Consider using phrases like "cause harm", "inflict harm", or "produce harm" depending on the context.

Is "generate harm" the same as "cause harm"?

While similar, "generate harm" often implies a process or mechanism by which harm arises, whereas "cause harm" is more direct.

Which is more formal, "generate harm" or "cause harm"?

"Generate harm" is typically considered slightly more formal and is often used in professional or academic writing, whereas "cause harm" is more neutral.