had the worst effect on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had the worst effect on" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a negative impact or consequence that something has had on a person, group, or situation. Example: "The sudden change in policy had the worst effect on employee morale, leading to increased turnover rates."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"It had the worst effect on her little frame.

The Guardian - Music

In the survey, students were asked to identify what had the worst effect on them.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Dr. Thurston said the findings of the study, which will be published in a scientific journal next year, showed that only 5 to 10percentt of the fine particle pollution was soot from diesel exhaust, but it was that portion that seemed to be having the worst effect on the children's asthma.

The New York Times

Computational tractability is ensured by formulating the robust design problem with only the vertices of the uncertainty region that have the worst effect on the product purity and recovery.

Journal of Biotechnology

Though montmorillonite has the worst effect on soil load bearing capacity but kaolinite and illite which are the major clay minerals observed in the study area also have serious effect on the soil load bearing capacity especially under the condition on which they occur that is having high water saturation.

International Journal of Geo-Engineering

Turnbull says Abu Ghraib had the worst effect.

The Guardian

Disrupting REM sleep--the sleep stage when dreams occur, named for the rapid eye movements that characterize it--has the worst effect on memory in people.

Science Magazine

Appleton also stirred things up after the match when he said he hoped the result had the worst possible effect on their rivals, and claimed Burnley lost their discipline in the second period.

Independent

This subject also had the worst performance on the Trail Making Test A, as reported below.

Brain

Black African women had the worst overall survival, but the effect was not as strong for breast cancer-specific survival.

British Journal of Cancer

But remuneration committees have ensured that directors have avoided the worst effects of the changes.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had the worst effect on", ensure the subject and object are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify exactly what was affected and how.

Common error

Avoid using "had the worst effect on" without providing specific details or examples. Instead of saying "the policy had the worst effect on the company", specify which aspects of the company were negatively impacted, such as morale or productivity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had the worst effect on" functions as a verb phrase that describes the action of something negatively impacting another thing. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is usable in written English. Examples show its application in discussing consequences or impacts in news, science, and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had the worst effect on" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a significant negative impact. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and the provided examples span across News & Media and Scientific domains. While suitable for neutral contexts, alternative phrases such as "negatively impacted the most" or "caused the greatest damage to" can add nuance or formality. When using the phrase, clarity and specificity are key to avoid overgeneralizations and ensure effective communication. The phrase is effective in conveying causality and highlighting detrimental outcomes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

negatively impacted the most

Emphasizes the negative impact and its magnitude.

caused the greatest damage to

Focuses on the damage caused, highlighting its extent.

was most detrimental to

Highlights the harmful nature and the degree of detriment.

had the most adverse impact on

Replaces 'effect' with 'impact' and 'worst' with 'adverse'.

affected the most negatively

Changes the sentence structure to emphasize the negative affect.

wreaked havoc on

Uses a more figurative expression to indicate significant disruption and damage.

proved most harmful to

Emphasizes the harmful nature of the effect.

exerted the most damaging influence on

Focuses on the damaging influence and its magnitude.

had the most catastrophic consequences for

Emphasizes the catastrophic nature of the result.

resulted in the greatest harm to

Focuses on the harm that resulted and its magnitude.

FAQs

How can I use "had the worst effect on" in a sentence?

Use "had the worst effect on" to describe something that negatively impacted something else. For instance, "The budget cuts "had the worst effect on" the research department."

What's a formal alternative to "had the worst effect on"?

A more formal alternative to "had the worst effect on" could be "had the most detrimental impact on" or "caused the greatest damage to."

Which is correct, "had the worst effect on" or "had a worst effect on"?

"Had the worst effect on" is the correct phrasing. "A worst effect" is grammatically incorrect in this context. You can also use alternatives like "had the most negative impact on".

What is the difference between "had the worst effect on" and "affected the most negatively"?

"Had the worst effect on" focuses on the consequence, while "affected the most negatively" emphasizes the act of affecting. They are semantically similar but differ in emphasis.