has been a rotten year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been a rotten year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express dissatisfaction or disappointment about the events of a particular year. Example: "With all the challenges we've faced, I can confidently say that 2020 has been a rotten year for many of us."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

It has been a rotten year.

The Economist

But like he says, it has been a rotten year.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

That aside, it has been a rotten year for the Swayslands.

The Guardian

There are ways in which this has been a rotten year: war and sadness all around, along with things like a broken health-care Web site, and the typhoon that hit the Philippines.

The New Yorker

By Amy Davidson Sorkin December 9, 2013 There are ways in which this has been a rotten year: war and sadness all around, along with things like a broken health-care Web site, and the typhoon that hit the Philippines.

The New Yorker

Unfallen Arches This has been a rotten year for fast food.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

IT has been a rotten few months for electric cars.

The New York Times

It has been a rotten week for the theatre.

The Guardian

Gold has been a rotten investment for most of the time since 1980.

Forbes

This has been a rotten Christmas season for the American pork conglomerate Smithfield Foods.

Huffington Post

It was a rotten way to end what had been a rotten season and a wretched denouement to Steven Gerrard's 17-year association with his boyhood club.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and adjust the tone accordingly. While "rotten" is not overly formal, in some professional settings, a more nuanced or less colloquial term like "difficult" or "challenging" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "has been a rotten year" as a generic statement without providing any supporting details or reasons. This can make your writing seem vague and lacking in substance. Instead, clearly articulate the specific events or circumstances that led to this assessment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been a rotten year" functions as a declarative statement expressing a negative evaluation of a particular year. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English for conveying dissatisfaction or disappointment. The examples show its use across various contexts to summarize adverse experiences.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been a rotten year" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to convey dissatisfaction or disappointment about the events of a particular year. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that it is usable in written English and fits a neutral register, predominantly appearing in News & Media sources. While not overly formal, it is crucial to provide context when using this phrase to substantiate the negative assessment. Alternatives include "has been a terrible year" or "has been a challenging year", depending on the desired tone. Overusing the phrase without context is a common pitfall to avoid. Overall, the phrase serves as a succinct way to express negative sentiment about a year's events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been a terrible year

Replaces "rotten" with a more common synonym, "terrible", maintaining the negative connotation.

has been an awful year

Substitutes "rotten" with "awful", another synonym indicating a very unpleasant experience.

has been a dreadful year

Uses "dreadful" in place of "rotten" to convey a sense of misfortune and unhappiness.

has been a miserable year

Employs "miserable" instead of "rotten" to highlight the unhappiness and suffering experienced during the year.

has been a disastrous year

Replaces "rotten" with "disastrous", emphasizing the catastrophic nature of the year's events.

has been a difficult year

Similar to "challenging", but retains a stronger sense of hardship and adversity.

was a tough year

Uses "tough" to indicate a year filled with hardships and struggles.

was a bad year

Simplifies the expression to a more straightforward statement of negativity.

has been a challenging year

Replaces the direct negative adjective with a more euphemistic "challenging", softening the sentiment.

has been a disappointing year

Focuses on unmet expectations and unrealized hopes, making the sentiment specific to disappointment.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "has been a rotten year"?

When someone says "has been a rotten year", they mean that the year has been particularly unpleasant or difficult, filled with negative experiences and disappointments.

What are some alternatives to saying "has been a rotten year"?

You can use alternatives like "has been a terrible year", "has been a difficult year", or "has been a challenging year" depending on the context.

How can I use "has been a rotten year" in a sentence?

You can use it to express your disappointment or frustration with the events of the year, such as, "Due to unexpected business losses, this has been a rotten year for my company."

Is "has been a rotten year" formal or informal?

The phrase "has been a rotten year" is considered relatively informal. While understandable in most contexts, it might be more appropriate to use a more professional term in formal business or academic settings.