heighten the risk

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "heighten the risk" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when discussing the increase in potential danger or harm as a result of certain circumstances. For example, "Driving without a seatbelt can heighten the risk of serious injury in the event of an accident."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Meanwhile, rising temperatures will heighten the risk of diseases, including those carried by mosquitos.

The Guardian

Work over which individuals have little control can heighten the risk of heart disease.

The Guardian - Books

These negative attitudes heighten the risk of stigmatization and rejection of these patients.

Annales Médico-psychologiques, revue psychiatrique

According to Black, a number of factors have converged to heighten the risk of practicing yoga.

The New York Times - Magazine

Environmentalists warned that would heighten the risk that fish were ground up in the pumps.

The New York Times

Combining the drugs with insulin, a common practice, seemed to heighten the risk further.

The New York Times

A sudden increase in the dose could "heighten the risk of serious adverse events", the committee told doctors.

The Guardian

Aerosol injection also has the potential to reduce the ozone layer and heighten the risk of exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

The Guardian

Why are these candidates willing to buck political tradition and heighten the risk of defeat on Nov. 3, 2020?

The New York Times

Right now, it would also remove purchasing power, cost jobs and heighten the risk of a prolonged downturn.

The New York Times

It's hard to know, though immigrant advocates fear, plausibly, that it will heighten the risk of vigilantism.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "heighten the risk" to emphasize that a specific action or situation actively increases the potential for a negative outcome. For example, "Ignoring safety protocols will "heighten the risk" of accidents."

Common error

Avoid relying solely on "heighten the risk". Vary your language with synonyms like "increase the risk", "raise the risk", or "aggravate the risk" to maintain reader engagement and avoid repetition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "heighten the risk" functions as a verb phrase that indicates an action which increases the probability of a negative outcome. As shown by Ludwig, this phrase is often used to describe how certain actions or situations can elevate potential dangers.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "heighten the risk" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe actions or conditions that increase the probability of a negative outcome. As noted by Ludwig, it appears frequently in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. Alternatives include "increase the risk" and "raise the risk". When using this phrase, be mindful of overuse and consider synonyms to maintain reader engagement. According to Ludwig, this phrase follows standard grammatical rules and is suitable for various contexts requiring a discussion of increased potential dangers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increase the risk

Focuses on the action of making the risk larger or more significant.

raise the risk

Implies lifting the risk to a higher level or degree.

aggravate the risk

Suggests making an existing risk worse or more serious.

exacerbate the risk

Similar to aggravate, but often used in more formal contexts.

intensify the risk

Emphasizes the strengthening or increasing of the risk.

amplify the risk

Suggests making the risk larger or more pronounced.

elevate the risk

Similar to raise, but can imply a more formal or significant increase.

compound the risk

Indicates that something is adding to the existing risk, making it more complex or severe.

magnify the risk

Implies making the risk appear larger or more significant, possibly disproportionately.

build the risk

Describes a gradual accumulation or increase in the risk factor.

FAQs

How can I use "heighten the risk" in a sentence?

You can use "heighten the risk" to describe actions or conditions that increase the probability of something negative occurring. For instance, "Poor maintenance can "heighten the risk" of equipment failure."

What are some alternatives to saying "heighten the risk"?

You can use alternatives like "increase the risk", "raise the risk", or "aggravate the risk" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "heighten the risk" and "increase the risk"?

While both phrases are similar, "heighten the risk" often implies a more significant or noticeable elevation of the potential danger compared to simply "increase the risk".

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "heighten the risk"?

"Heighten the risk" is suitable for various contexts, including discussions about safety, finance, health, and environmental issues, where actions or conditions can measurably increase the likelihood of negative outcomes.