grave miscalculation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "grave miscalculation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a serious error in judgment or calculation that has significant consequences. Example: "The company's decision to expand without proper market research was a grave miscalculation that led to substantial financial losses."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Republican politicians say the contracts were a grave miscalculation, because they locked in high prices just as new electricity supplies were leading to lower prices in daily trading.

The New York Times

We alone were reaping the rewards of some Parks Department architects' error, a grave miscalculation of how high a given tennis ball hit at such-and-such miles an hour could go, with the wind gusts in some such direction, and the phase of the moon on a particular Wednesday in autumn in Brooklyn.

The New York Times

Not only is this an affront to everything capitalism stands for, it is a grave miscalculation.

TechCrunch

"My message to Moscow is that if anyone thinks they can do these things without serious long-term consequences they are making a grave miscalculation".

BBC

In short, House Republicans are making a grave miscalculation on Social Security.

Huffington Post

At a convention that featured mothers who lost children during deadly encounters with police, showcasing Mayor Rahm Emanuel would have been a grave miscalculation.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

He has not had to account for, let alone relinquish, any of his stocks of biological and chemical weapons.This calculating man is also, though, prone to grave miscalculations, just as when he invaded Kuwait in 1990.

The Economist

It would be the gravest miscalculation since, perhaps, a similar one many millions of years ago that wiped out ancient dinosaur astronomers.

The New York Times

The friction between Mr. Kennedy's uncertain feel for politics and his instinctive command of governance led to his gravest miscalculation, his ill-executed attempt to unseat his party's incumbent president, Jimmy Carter, in the 1980 primaries.

The New York Times

A first task, once talks do get going, will be to convince North Korea of how grave a miscalculation that would be.

The Economist

Turkey's EU friends – mainly Britain and Sweden – believe that the EU is making a grave political miscalculation in failing to embrace Turkey.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "grave miscalculation", ensure the context clearly indicates the serious and far-reaching consequences of the error. The phrase is best suited for situations where the mistake has significant implications.

Common error

Avoid using "grave miscalculation" to describe trivial errors or oversights. Reserve the phrase for situations where the consequences are genuinely serious and impactful, otherwise, it can sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "grave miscalculation" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It identifies and characterizes a specific error as serious. Ludwig AI affirms that this phrase is correct and appropriate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "grave miscalculation" denotes a serious error in judgment or calculation with significant repercussions. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and suitability for use in formal writing. While not exceedingly common, it frequently appears in news and media contexts, highlighting consequential mistakes. When employing this phrase, ensure that the situation warrants the strong emphasis on severity. Alternatives like "serious misjudgment" or "critical error in judgment" may be more appropriate in less dire circumstances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

grievous error

Synonymous replacement of "grave" with "grievous", maintaining a formal tone and emphasizing the error.

serious misjudgment

Replaces "calculation" with "judgment", emphasizing the decision-making aspect of the error.

critical error in judgment

Uses "critical error" to underscore the seriousness of the mistake, adding "in judgment" for clarity.

catastrophic miscalculation

Replaces "grave" with "catastrophic", highlighting the potentially disastrous consequences of the error.

major blunder

Replaces "miscalculation" with the more informal "blunder", while retaining the sense of significant error.

significant oversight

Focuses on the aspect of neglecting important factors, leading to a serious error.

profound error

Emphasizes the depth and impact of the mistake, rather than merely its existence.

costly mistake

Highlights the negative consequences of the miscalculation, emphasizing its impact.

severe lapse in judgment

Uses "lapse" to suggest a temporary failure in decision-making, emphasizing the seriousness with "severe".

colossal failure

Shifts the focus from the miscalculation itself to the resulting failure, emphasizing its scale.

FAQs

What does "grave miscalculation" mean?

A "grave miscalculation" refers to a serious error in judgment or calculation that leads to significant negative consequences. It implies that the mistake was not minor but rather had a substantial impact.

How to use "grave miscalculation" in a sentence?

You can use "grave miscalculation" to describe a decision or action that had serious, unintended consequences. For instance: "The government's economic policy proved to be a "grave miscalculation", leading to widespread recession."

What are some alternatives to "grave miscalculation"?

Alternatives include "serious misjudgment", "critical error in judgment", or "major blunder". The best choice depends on the specific context and the level of formality desired.

Is "grave miscalculation" the same as "serious mistake"?

While similar, "grave miscalculation" suggests a more profound and consequential error than a simple "serious mistake". "Grave" emphasizes the significant and potentially damaging nature of the miscalculation.