hurt his work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hurt his work" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone's efforts or productivity are negatively impacted or diminished. Example: "The constant interruptions during the meeting really hurt his work and made it difficult for him to concentrate."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For one thing, having his spouse in that position didn't hurt his work at the Clinton Global Initiative.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"He said he had hurt his back working at Makro.

The Guardian - Money

He hurt his foot working out a week before camp opened and missed some practice time.

The New York Times

She took Khin Maung to the doctor when he hurt his arm at work.

The New York Times

He said he did not expect the government's criticism to hurt his prospects for work in the future.

The New York Times

Matt Hasselbeck will start Sunday.... Linebacker Aaron Curry returned to practice with the Raiders for the first time since May after dealing with knee problems in recent months.... Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, the 17th overall pick in April's draft, who hurt his knee while working out over the summer, could make his debut Sunday night.

The New York Times - Sports

Daniel is concerned that his now very public stand-off with the mayor will hurt his chances of finding work in the future even if he didn't do anything wrong, it's still sure to draw some raised eyebrows from some potential employers.

Vice

Daniel is concerned that his now very public stand-off with the mayor will hurt his chances of finding work in the future – even if he didn't do anything wrong, it's still sure to draw raised eyebrows from some potential employers.

Vice

Pedro Marín, who works for a pool cleaning company, said he hurt his left hand when he worked for a lumber yard last year and yet was told by a doctor to whom his boss sent him that he should go back to work the next day.

The New York Times

Someone asked Dayne if his lack of work could hurt his chances of a free-agent deal since interested teams would not have any recent film of him.

The New York Times - Sports

The fact that television actors vote for SAG Awards certainly didn't hurt his chances, given his landmark work on "The Sopranos".

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "hurt his work", ensure the context clearly indicates what or who caused the negative impact. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "hurt his work" without specifying the cause of the negative impact. Without context, the phrase lacks clarity and weakens the statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hurt his work" functions as a verb phrase where "hurt" acts as a transitive verb, describing the action of negatively affecting or impairing someone's work. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hurt his work" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe a negative impact on someone's professional performance. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While not exceedingly common, it's appropriately used across news and media, with some presence in scientific contexts. When using this phrase, clarity is key; specifying the cause of the negative impact enhances understanding. Alternatives like "negatively impacted his work" or "impaired his work" can offer a more formal tone, depending on the desired context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Negatively impacted his work

Replaces "hurt" with a more formal and direct term, "negatively impacted".

Affected his work negatively

A more direct and less nuanced way of expressing a negative impact.

Impaired his work

Uses "impaired" which suggests a weakening or damaging effect.

Hindered his work

Emphasizes the obstacle or impediment created.

Detrimentally affected his work

A more formal and stronger way of saying it had a negative effect.

Undermined his work

Suggests a weakening from beneath, a subtle negative influence.

Compromised his work

Implies that the quality or integrity of the work was reduced.

Damaged his work

Indicates harm or injury to the work itself.

Inhibited his work

Suggests a restraint or suppression of his ability to work effectively.

Weakened his work

Suggests a reduction in the strength or quality of the work.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "hurt his work" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "negatively impacted his work" or "detrimentally affected his work".

What's a more direct alternative to "hurt his work"?

A more direct alternative is "affected his work negatively", which clearly states the impact.

When is it appropriate to use "hurt his work"?

It's appropriate when you want to convey that something has caused a decline or impairment in someone's work quality or output. Ensure the cause is either explicitly stated or easily inferred from the context.

What's the difference between "hurt his work" and "compromised his work"?

"Hurt his work" generally indicates a negative impact, while "compromised his work" suggests that the integrity or quality of the work has been reduced, often due to a specific event or decision.