had a negative impact on

USAGE SUMMARY

"had a negative impact on" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It generally means that something has had a negative effect or influence on something else. Example sentence: The introduction of a new policy had a negative impact on employee morale.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This had a negative impact on family and community life.

The Guardian

Perceptual conflict had a negative impact on transfer performance.

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

"It's had a negative impact on my family," Hunter said.

The New York Times - Sports

Recessions in Europe and Japan had a negative impact on Industrial Liaison Program memberships.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This, in turn, had a negative impact on the housing market.

The New Yorker

Terim was also unimpressed and felt the situation had a negative impact on the team.

The Guardian - Sport

Such recruiting has had a negative impact on the public health of many developing nations.

The New York Times

Cracks typically initiated at LOF features which had a negative impact on the total fatigue life.

International Journal of Fatigue

However, metakaolin and silica fume had a negative impact on the workability of the cement foam.

Construction and Building Materials

Indeed, some claimed the show has already had a negative impact on children.

The Washington Post

But all this rebalancing took time and arguably had a negative impact on overall growth.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had a negative impact on", ensure the subject and object are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For instance, specify exactly what experienced the negative impact.

Common error

Avoid using "had a negative impact on" as a generic placeholder for more specific and descriptive language. Instead of saying a policy "had a negative impact on" employee morale, explain how it affected morale (e.g., "increased stress", "reduced job satisfaction").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had a negative impact on" functions as a verb phrase expressing causality. It asserts that something (the subject) caused a detrimental effect (the negative impact) on something else (the object). Examples from Ludwig show its use in diverse contexts like family life, market performance and health.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had a negative impact on" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate a detrimental effect. As Ludwig AI explains, it is correct and usable in written English. It is prevalent in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts, demonstrating its versatility across different registers. While generally neutral to professional in tone, it's crucial to employ specific language and avoid vagueness when describing the nature of the impact to ensure clarity and precision in writing. Consider using alternative phrases like "had an adverse effect on" or "negatively affected" to vary your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had an adverse effect on

Replaces "impact" with "effect" and "negative" with "adverse", maintaining the same meaning.

had a detrimental effect on

Substitutes "negative" with "detrimental", emphasizing the damaging nature of the impact.

negatively affected

Changes the structure to a verb phrase, but still conveys the negative consequence.

had a damaging influence on

Replaces "impact" with "influence" and "negative" with "damaging", highlighting the harmful effect.

proved detrimental to

This rephrasing emphasizes that something was shown to be harmful to something else.

had a deleterious impact on

Uses "deleterious" instead of "negative", indicating a harmful or injurious effect.

had unfavorable consequences for

Focuses on the resulting negative outcomes.

had a poor outcome for

This alternative focuses on the unfavorable results for someone or something.

undermined

A more concise alternative, suggesting a weakening or weakening effect.

harmed

A simpler term emphasizing the detrimental aspect.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to saying "had a negative impact on"?

You can use alternatives like "had an adverse effect on", "negatively affected", or "had a detrimental effect on" depending on the context.

How can I use "had a negative impact on" in a sentence?

Use "had a negative impact on" to describe something that has caused a detrimental effect. For example, "The budget cuts had a negative impact on the school's programs."

What is the difference between "had a negative impact on" and "had a negative effect on"?

The phrases "had a negative impact on" and "had a negative effect on" are largely interchangeable. "Impact" often implies a stronger, more measurable consequence, while "effect" is more general.

Is it better to use "had a negative impact on" or more specific language?

While "had a negative impact on" is grammatically correct, using more specific language can improve clarity and provide a more precise understanding. For instance, instead of "the policy had a negative impact", you could say "the policy reduced productivity".