harmful circumstance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harmful circumstance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or condition that has negative effects or consequences on individuals or groups. Example: "The study revealed that children exposed to harmful circumstances are more likely to develop mental health issues later in life."

✓ Grammatically correct

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Science

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

3. Create a list of guidelines that should be followed in public places to avoid potentially harmful circumstances.

The New York Times

Whether or not they were helpful or harmful under specific circumstances determined if and what virtues were attributed to them.

University of Pennsylvania

Classicists will recognise that the original Greek meant things that make you numb, which may or may not be harmful depending on circumstances.

The Economist

An excessive number of Steiner points may be inserted during the process of boundary recovery for constrained tetrahedral mesh generation, and these Steiner points are harmful in some circumstances.

Applied Mathematical Modelling

Many drugs that are harmful in some circumstances can be life-saving in others.

Forbes

Niswander says it is clear that folic acid is good for human fetuses, but the new study makes her wonder whether high levels of the vitamin may be harmful in some circumstances.

Science Magazine

While some of these bacteria could be harmful under certain circumstances, they're mixed in with many more that benefit us by strengthening our immunity and helping our digestion.

Vice

73 Thus, even though vitamins or antioxidant substances show benefits against a certain disease in preclinical studies, they might show no benefit or could be harmful under clinical circumstances.

British Medical Journal

These results support the advice that antibiotics are not recommended in spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes and that the description of antibiotics can even be harmful in these circumstances.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

More recent studies, however, seem to suggest that chronic overstimulation of angiotensin II receptors might also exert a hypertrophic and antiangiogenic influence on cardiovascular tissues and that therefore the "long term consequences of ARB therapy might be less beneficial and could even be harmful in some circumstances".

British Medical Journal

In addition, it is necessary to recognize that adaptive stress responses such as enhanced cell death may be beneficial or harmful depending on the circumstance of the response, and interpretations of hormetic effects of radiation exposure may be influenced by experimental designs.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the impact of a "harmful circumstance", be specific about who or what is affected and the nature of the harm. For example, "The "harmful circumstance" of prolonged isolation can lead to mental health issues."

Common error

Avoid vague statements about "harmful circumstances" without specifying the actual harm. Instead of saying "This is a "harmful circumstance"," explain what makes it harmful and its concrete consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harmful circumstance" functions as a noun phrase modified by an adjective. It identifies a specific type of situation characterized by its detrimental effects. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use across diverse contexts, each highlighting the adverse impact of the circumstance.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "harmful circumstance" serves to denote a situation marked by negative consequences or damage. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across different contexts. While not extremely common, it is readily understood and can be replaced by alternatives like "adverse situation" or "detrimental condition" to add nuance or formality. When employing this phrase, clarity is paramount; specifying the nature of the harm and who/what it impacts is critical for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfavorable circumstance

Uses "unfavorable" instead of "harmful", implying a lack of advantage or opportunity; similar in formality.

adverse situation

Replaces "harmful" with "adverse", suggesting opposition or negativity; slightly more formal.

detrimental condition

Substitutes "harmful" with "detrimental" and "circumstance" with "condition", indicating damage or disadvantage; more formal.

negative situation

Replaces "harmful" with "negative", broadly indicating an unfavorable state; less specific.

dangerous situation

Focuses specifically on potential physical or emotional harm; stronger emphasis on threat.

precarious situation

Suggests instability and uncertainty; emphasizes the vulnerability of the situation.

difficult situation

Emphasizes the challenge posed by the situation, rather than the harm it causes; less specific.

troublesome situation

Highlights the annoyance and difficulty caused by the situation; more informal.

risky situation

Highlights the potential for danger or loss; focuses on risk rather than existing harm.

challenging circumstance

Emphasizes the difficulty and demands required to overcome the situation; less negative connotation.

FAQs

How can I use "harmful circumstance" in a sentence?

You can use "harmful circumstance" to describe a situation that has negative effects. For example: "Living in poverty is a "harmful circumstance" for children's development."

What are some alternatives to "harmful circumstance"?

Alternatives include "adverse situation", "detrimental condition", or "unfavorable circumstance". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it redundant to say "very harmful circumstance"?

While "very harmful circumstance" isn't grammatically incorrect, consider if the "very" adds significant meaning. "Harmful" already implies negativity, so using alternatives such as "dangerous situation" or "precarious situation" might be more impactful.

What's the difference between "harmful circumstance" and "difficult situation"?

"Harmful circumstance" emphasizes the negative consequences or damage caused by a situation, whereas "difficult situation" primarily focuses on the challenges and effort required to navigate it. The former highlights the harm, the latter the struggle.