harmful conduct

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harmful conduct" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or behaviors that cause damage or injury to individuals, groups, or the environment. Example: "The organization has a strict policy against any form of harmful conduct within the workplace."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Very often, of course, these two versions of the Principle will produce the same results: we efficiently prevent harm by criminalizing harmful conduct.

SEP

Perhaps, if crimes are 'public' wrongs, we could meet the charge of over-inclusiveness by distinguishing within the category of wrongfully harmful conduct between public and private harms: the betrayal of a friendship or a marriage is not apt for criminalization if and because it causes only private harm.

SEP

Economists such as Mitchell Polinsky, of Stanford Law School, and Steven Shavell, of Harvard Law School, argue that to deter harmful conduct, punitive damages should be equivalent to the amount of harm caused, multiplied by the inverse of the probability of detection.

The Economist

The commission found that the company's failure to provide proper housing "created an environment conducive to the creation of tension, labour unrest, disunity among its employees or other harmful conduct".

The Guardian

As Paul Rothstein, a professor of evidence law at Georgetown University Law Center, put it, "There's a societal trend against child abusers," and, along with it, "a reaction against hiding harmful conduct behind privilege".

The New York Times - Arts

Transactions of this type are considered to be fairly low risk for financial firms, but that can lead to less oversight of the traders involved because of the misperception that minimal risk equates to less potential for harmful conduct.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

"A pregnant woman, if she chooses not to end the pregnancy, takes on a moral and perhaps a legal obligation to refrain from clearly harmful prenatal conduct," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

The forest enterprise complains about diverse ecologically harmful practices conducted by the pasture users, such as grazing on forested areas, overstocking, goat keeping, exceeding the grazing period, and the felling of living trees (Fig. 10; respondent EA 2013/2014).

Pastoralism

Scientists are looking at making fabrics that can absorb poisonous gases or harmful bacteria, or conduct electricity, and be used to make stylish garments.

The Guardian - Tech

Some have argued that forced care is legitimate in fairly similar cases, because it would contravene "mere desire" not "rational desire" (Savulescu 1994), and because "the state has the right to prevent self-regarding harmful conduct…when… that conduct is substantially nonvoluntary…" (Feinberg 1986, 12).

SEP

Moral enhancement could therefore be instrumentally good: good as a means to some other good such as the prevention of harmful or wrongful conduct, or simply to the good of being moral.

Bioethics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To ensure clarity, follow "harmful conduct" with specific examples or descriptions of the actions being referred to.

Common error

While "harmful conduct" is appropriate in formal settings, it can sound overly formal in everyday conversation. Opt for simpler phrases like "bad behavior" or "negative actions" to maintain a natural tone in informal communication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harmful conduct" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "harmful" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "conduct". According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is deemed correct and appropriate for use in written English. The examples in Ludwig demonstrate its usage in describing actions that cause damage or injury.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

52%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "harmful conduct" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe actions that cause damage or injury. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's commonly found in science, news, and formal business contexts, indicating a register that ranges from neutral to formal. While suitable for precise, formal communication, simpler alternatives may be more appropriate in informal settings. Remember to provide specific examples to enhance clarity and avoid overuse in casual conversations. When in doubt, consider alternatives like "detrimental behavior" or "injurious actions" to tailor your language to the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

detrimental behavior

Replaces "harmful" with "detrimental" and "conduct" with "behavior", emphasizing the damaging nature of the actions.

injurious actions

Substitutes "harmful" with "injurious" and "conduct" with "actions", highlighting the potential for injury or damage.

damaging behavior

Replaces "harmful" with "damaging", focusing on the negative impact of the behavior.

destructive actions

Substitutes "harmful" with "destructive", indicating a more severe level of damage or harm.

adverse behavior

Replaces "harmful" with "adverse", suggesting unfavorable or negative effects from the behavior.

negative behavior

Substitutes "harmful" with "negative", broadly indicating undesirable or harmful behavior.

malicious actions

Replaces "harmful" with "malicious", suggesting intent to cause harm or damage.

pernicious conduct

Substitutes "harmful" with "pernicious", suggesting subtle but gradually damaging effects.

unethical behavior

Shifts the focus to the moral dimension of the conduct, implying that it violates ethical standards.

improper actions

Suggests that the actions are not in accordance with accepted standards or rules.

FAQs

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

You can use "harmful conduct" to describe actions that cause damage or injury. For example, "The company has a strict policy against any form of "harmful conduct" within the workplace."

What are some alternatives to "harmful conduct"?

Alternatives to "harmful conduct" include "detrimental behavior", "injurious actions", or "damaging behavior", depending on the specific context.

Is "harmful conduct" a formal or informal term?

"Harmful conduct" is generally considered a formal term, suitable for legal, ethical, or professional contexts. In informal settings, simpler terms like "bad behavior" might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "harmful conduct" and "unethical behavior"?

"Harmful conduct" refers specifically to actions that cause damage or injury, while "unethical behavior" encompasses actions that violate moral principles, whether or not they cause direct harm. "Harmful conduct" can be unethical, and vice versa, but they are not always the same.