greatly affect

USAGE SUMMARY

"greatly affect" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize the extent to which something has an effect. For example, "The increase in taxes will greatly affect our household budget."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This will greatly affect the ruling camp".

The New York Times

But these votes can greatly affect the race.

The Guardian

Buffeting can greatly affect aerodynamic behavior.

Aerospace Science and Technology

Disorders of smell greatly affect the ability to detect flavours.

Britannica

If this isn't handled properly, it will greatly affect rural economic development".

The New York Times

"Most dermatological diseases won't kill you, but they can greatly affect your quality of life".

The New York Times

The idea has to be realised, though how this happens can greatly affect the outcome.

The Guardian - Arts

I'm convinced that relations between Iran and US will greatly affect region.

The Guardian

These studies may greatly affect future transfusion guidelines.

Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia

How can we factor out two costs that so greatly affect our everyday lives?

The New York Times

It will also greatly affect refugees already in Europe – people in similar situations to me.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "greatly affect" to emphasize the significant impact of something, making sure the context supports such a strong assertion. For instance, "The new policy will "greatly affect" employee morale."

Common error

While "greatly affect" is grammatically sound, avoid overusing it in very informal writing. Simpler phrases might be more appropriate. Instead of saying, "That movie "greatly affect" me", consider "That movie really moved me".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "greatly affect" functions as a verb phrase that describes the action of having a strong or significant influence on something. It indicates that the subject causes a considerable change or impact. This is confirmed by Ludwig's examples, which demonstrate usage across multiple contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

39%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "greatly affect" is a versatile and frequently used expression that signifies a substantial impact or influence. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and widely employed across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. While it is suitable for both formal and informal communication, overuse should be avoided in very informal writing. Alternatives like "significantly impact" or "heavily influence" can be used to add variety. Remember to reserve "greatly affect" for situations where you truly want to emphasize the magnitude of the effect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly impact

Replaces "affect" with "impact" and "greatly" with "significantly", altering the specific word choice but maintaining the strong influence.

heavily influence

Substitutes "affect" with "influence" and "greatly" with "heavily", focusing on the power to change something.

strongly influence

Similar to "heavily influence", but uses "strongly" to emphasize the intensity of the influence.

profoundly impact

Replaces "greatly" with "profoundly", emphasizing a deeper and more substantial effect.

deeply affect

Similar to "profoundly impact", focusing on the depth of the effect.

substantially alter

Uses "alter" instead of "affect" and "substantially" instead of "greatly", highlighting a considerable change.

markedly influence

Uses "markedly" to show that the influence is easily noticeable.

considerably change

Employs "change" as a substitute for "affect" and "considerably" for "greatly", indicating a noticeable difference.

have a major effect on

Rephrases the entire expression to emphasize the size and importance of the effect.

exert a significant influence on

Focuses on the act of applying influence and emphasizes the magnitude of that influence.

FAQs

How can I use "greatly affect" in a sentence?

Use "greatly affect" when you want to emphasize that something has a substantial impact. For example, "Changes in the climate can "greatly affect" agricultural yields".

What are some alternatives to "greatly affect"?

You can use alternatives like "significantly impact", "heavily influence", or "profoundly impact" depending on the context.

Is "greatly affect" formal or informal?

"Greatly affect" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts. It's frequently used in news, academic writing, and professional reports.

What's the difference between "greatly affect" and "slightly affect"?

"Greatly affect" indicates a significant or major impact, while "slightly affect" indicates a minor or negligible impact. The choice depends on the magnitude of the effect you want to convey.