greatly bad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "greatly bad" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward to native speakers.
It could be used to emphasize the severity of something negative, but there are more natural alternatives. Example: "The weather today is greatly bad, making it difficult to go outside."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There were fewer than I'd expected, and as many who were greatly bad as greatly good.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Individuals around the world may suffer greatly from bad luck, and may be haunted by spiritual emptiness.

SEP

QUESTION FROM ST : Hi Rick, how do you respond to the critics who say that Michael Moore has benefited greatly from the "bad" corps who release who his movies?

The New Yorker

"Solo acoustic guitar reaches me best when I'm alone in contemplation or just zoning, greatly enhanced by bad weather outside.

The New Yorker

The crash, which was inevitable since stock prices were much in excess of real value, greatly accelerated every bad tendency, destroying the confidence of investors and consumers alike.

Encyclopedia Britannica

To quote the President, and to understate it greatly, I feel bad about what happened Tuesday.

Huffington Post

I was disabled, set apart, greatly blessed by very bad asthma.

The Guardian - Books

For example, though I used to suffer greatly from the five bad Internet emotions listed above, I am now better at controlling my experience, and as often as not I have happy Internet emotions.

The New Yorker

The battalion was immediately greatly outnumbered, exposed in bad terrain and had insufficient supplies for a prolonged fight.

Forbes

As over 85% of schools in North Carolina are designated as good schools, even a small fraction of these teachers choosing to search for a match with bad schools greatly increase these schools' likelihoods of finding their desired matches.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

The condition of PCS, whether good or bad, will greatly affect MCS.

BMC Women's Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically sound, consider using more common and impactful alternatives such as "extremely bad" or "terribly poor" to enhance clarity and resonance.

Common error

Avoid using "greatly bad" in formal writing. Opt for alternatives like "significantly deficient" or "severely substandard" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "greatly bad" functions as an intensifier (greatly) modifying an adjective (bad). It serves to emphasize the negative quality being described, though Ludwig suggests that more common alternatives might be preferable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "greatly bad" is grammatically acceptable, though not a common expression in English. Ludwig identifies it as an adverb-adjective combination used to intensify negativity. While understandable, it's often more effective to use more common alternatives like "extremely bad" or "terribly poor" to enhance clarity and impact. Although Ludwig does not flag it as incorrect, consider replacing "greatly bad" with stronger and more familiar synonyms to improve your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely poor

Replaces "greatly bad" with a more conventional adjective.

terribly flawed

Emphasizes the presence of significant defects or shortcomings.

remarkably awful

Replaces "bad" with a stronger synonym and maintains emphasis with "remarkably".

significantly deficient

Highlights the notable lack of something essential or expected.

severely substandard

Indicates a failure to meet a required level of quality or performance.

intensely negative

Focuses on the strongly unfavorable or adverse nature.

exceptionally substandard

Replaces greatly with another word that emphasizes the badness.

highly unfavorable

Indicates strong disapproval or a lack of positive attributes.

majorly disappointing

Implies a considerable failure to meet expectations.

acutely deficient

Describes a severe or critical lack of something important.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "greatly bad"?

You can use alternatives like "extremely poor", "terribly flawed", or "remarkably awful" depending on the context.

Is "greatly bad" grammatically correct?

Yes, "greatly bad" is grammatically correct, but it's not a common or idiomatic expression. It might sound unusual to native English speakers. Consider replacing it with more common expressions for better clarity.

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

While possible to use, consider rewording your sentence to employ more common phrases such as "extremely poor", "significantly deficient", or other similar phrases to avoid awkwardness.

What makes "greatly bad" a less preferred choice in writing?

The phrase "greatly bad" is less preferred because it sounds less natural and less impactful than its alternatives. Using more common and vivid language can help make your writing more effective and engaging.