how disgraceful

USAGE SUMMARY

"how disgraceful" is both grammatically correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used as an expression of strong disapproval. For example: "The students vandalized the school playground - how disgraceful!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

We had many letters about how disgraceful it was.

The Guardian

How disgraceful too to use our intelligence capability as a deeply damaging added threat.

The Guardian - Opinion

"This is truly inspiring," she said of the Vietnamese community's efforts, "especially in light of how disgraceful much of the response to the Syrian refugees has been".

Independent

How disgraceful that President Obama, a former law professor himself, would conspire to violate international law by attempting to deprive President Aristide of his human rights.

The Guardian - Opinion

"How disgraceful are the working conditions in which Apple devices are manufactured!" – oddly leaving out Samsung, Sony, Dell, LG, HTC and all the other companies who have their devices made in the same factories.

The Guardian - Tech

For the healthier response to the announcement that the army is to be brought in to staff checkpoints is not "how disgraceful", but "what took them so long?" Why was London's Olympic security seen as a suitable case for delegation to a private company rather than a fundamental aspect, during this summer at least, of our national security?

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

There is no need to waste too much space here on saying how utterly disgraceful the barring of Dutch MP Geert Wilders is.

The Guardian - Opinion

But it's truly disgraceful how often a sitcom finds occasion to justify flat-out yelling.

The New York Times

I think it's disgraceful how Salman Rushdie's been treated.

The Guardian - Books

"It's disgraceful how NGOs and loony leftwing organisations have refused to back the UN's unanimous position.

The Guardian

"It's disgraceful how NGOs and loony leftwing organisations have refused to back the UN's unanimous position," said Jones, provoking fury from aid groups.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "how disgraceful" to express strong disapproval or moral outrage when describing a situation or behavior. It's most effective when the context clearly warrants such a strong reaction.

Common error

Avoid using "how disgraceful" in contexts that only warrant mild disapproval. Overusing strong language can diminish its impact and make your writing seem overly dramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "how disgraceful" functions as an exclamatory expression. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It serves to emphasize the speaker's or writer's strong disapproval or moral outrage regarding a particular situation or action. Similar examples from Ludwig highlight its role in expressing negative judgment.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "how disgraceful" serves as an exclamatory expression to convey strong disapproval or moral outrage. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. It's categorized as having a neutral register. When considering alternatives, phrases like "how shameful" or "what a disgrace" can be used to achieve a similar effect. While effective for expressing strong feelings, it's important to avoid overuse in situations that only warrant mild disapproval. The frequency of the phrase can be considered uncommon, given the number of examples, with its presence primarily in News & Media and Academia.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

how shameful

Replaces "disgraceful" with a synonym carrying a similar moral condemnation.

what a disgrace

Shifts the structure to an exclamation, emphasizing the shameful nature.

how appalling

Substitutes "disgraceful" with a word highlighting the shocking nature of something.

how outrageous

Emphasizes the unacceptability and offensiveness of the situation.

how scandalous

Focuses on the aspect of public outrage and moral offense.

how deplorable

Indicates a strong feeling of disapproval and condemnation.

how regrettable

Highlights the unfortunate and disappointing nature of the event.

how unacceptable

Stresses that the behavior or situation cannot be tolerated.

how improper

Suggests that something is not in accordance with accepted standards of behavior.

it's a crying shame

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey deep disappointment.

FAQs

How can I use "how disgraceful" in a sentence?

You can use "how disgraceful" to express strong disapproval, as in "The way they treated him was "how disgraceful"!"

What are some alternatives to saying "how disgraceful"?

Alternatives include "how shameful", "how appalling", or "what a disgrace", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "how disgraceful" formal or informal?

"How disgraceful" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal. It expresses strong disapproval and can be used in various contexts, but avoid it in very casual settings.

What's the difference between "how disgraceful" and "that's disgraceful"?

"How disgraceful" emphasizes the degree or extent of the disgrace, while "that's disgraceful" simply acknowledges the disgraceful nature of something. The first is a more emphatic expression.