human toll

USAGE SUMMARY

"human toll" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It refers to the impact or cost on people as a result of a particular event or situation. Example: The earthquake in Haiti had a devastating human toll, with thousands of lives lost and many more injured and displaced.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In Google's defense, cars take an enormous economic, financial, and human toll on humanity.

TechCrunch

There was the human toll.

The New York Times - Magazine

The human toll?

The New York Times

Meanwhile, the human toll is rising.

The Economist

The human toll was devastating.

The New York Times

The human toll was horrific.

The New York Times

The human toll is significant.

Harvard Business Review

But what's the human toll?

Harvard Business Review

And the human toll has been high.

The Guardian

And the human toll is rising accordingly.

The Guardian

Finally, there is the human toll.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair it with strong adjectives like "devastating", "enormous", "horrific" or "immeasurable" to emphasize the scale of a tragedy.

Common error

Do not use the phrase to describe minor inconveniences or lighthearted problems. Referring to the "human toll" of a slow coffee line is seen as insensitive because the phrase is culturally reserved for serious tragedies like wars, natural disasters and pandemics.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "human toll" acts as a noun phrase, typically functioning as the direct object of verbs like "take", "exact" or "show". According to Ludwig AI, it serves to quantify or characterize the negative impact of an event on people.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Science

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "human toll" is a powerful and correctly used phrase in English, particularly within journalism and formal writing. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across the most prestigious publications in the world. It is almost exclusively used in the context of serious events—such as wars, pandemics or economic crises—to highlight the impact on human lives rather than financial assets. When writing, remember that it carries a heavy emotional weight; it is best utilized to ground a story in human reality. Using it alongside alternatives like "human cost" can provide variety while maintaining the necessary level of gravitas for sensitive topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

human cost

more common when comparing personal impact against financial or economic factors

loss of life

specifically refers to fatalities rather than injuries or psychological trauma

human suffering

emphasizes the emotional and physical pain of individuals rather than just the number of victims

casualty count

more clinical and often used in military or emergency response contexts

human devastation

implies a larger scale of total destruction of lives and communities

human consequences

a more neutral way to describe the results of an action on people

personal tragedy

shifts the focus from a collective group to individual experiences

societal impact

much broader and less focused on direct physical harm or death

carnage

significantly more graphic and usually reserved for scenes of violent death

fatality rate

a statistical term used in research or technical reporting

FAQs

How do I use "human toll" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe the impact of an event, such as: "The earthquake took a heavy human toll on the coastal village."

What is the difference between "human toll" and "human cost"?

While nearly interchangeable, "human cost" is often used in contrast to financial expenses, whereas "human toll" is more frequently used in news reporting to describe the overall number of victims.

Can I use the phrase to talk about psychological damage?

Yes, many sources in Ludwig use it to describe non-physical impacts like burnout or emotional exhaustion, though it most often refers to physical harm.

What are some synonyms for "human toll"?

Common synonyms include "loss of life", "human suffering" and "casualty list".