looks harmful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "looks harmful" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that appears to be dangerous or detrimental in some way. Example: "The chemical spill looks harmful to the environment and could pose a risk to local wildlife."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

By contrast, the thrust of many of the proposals coming out of Brussels looks harmful.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

On such a prosperous day, Ballesteros' 74 looked harmful to his chances of back-to-back wins on the US tour, and so it would prove over the weekend, as scores of 72 and 73 took the Spaniard way down the field into a tie for 32nd place.

The Guardian - Sport

To me, they looked harmful.

Huffington Post

Do not download anything onto your computer that looks potentially harmful or strange.

WikiHow

From a perspective of security policy, the government's proactive branding of itself as a bad country for Middle Eastern migrants and refugees rather looks like a harmful disservice.

Huffington Post

To many conservative business leaders, today's social-conservative agenda looks anachronistic and is harmful to the bottom line; it makes it hard to hire and keep talented employees who won't tolerate discrimination.

The New Yorker

Michael Naughton is a postgraduate researcher looking at the harmful consequences of miscarriages of justice in the Department of Sociology, University of Bristol.

The Guardian

In its initial manifestation the fund would not support any research that involved looking at the harmful effects of tobacco.

The Guardian

Mr. Akula blamed his own "focus on scaling S.K.S.'s model" without anticipating the "potential downside" — in other words, trying to grow the business without looking at the harmful consequences of pushing for growth.

The New York Times

This resolve against looking for potentially harmful residues has held fast despite the fact that multiple scientific studies in recent years have linked glyphosate to cancer and a range of other health and environmental concerns.

Huffington Post

Therefore, looking at harmful/potentially harmful changes there were 804/8,268 (9.7%, 95% CI for SEM 9.1 to 10.4).

Critical Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing potential consequences, use ""looks harmful"" to suggest an apparent but not definitively proven negative impact.

Common error

Avoid using ""looks harmful"" as a substitute for definitively proven harm. Use it when expressing an initial assessment or suspicion, and ensure further investigation or evidence is provided to substantiate the claim.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looks harmful" primarily functions as a subject complement, linking a subject (something) to an adjective (harmful) through a linking verb (looks). It expresses a perceived quality or characteristic, indicating an initial impression of danger or detriment. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "looks harmful" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe something that appears to be dangerous or detrimental. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions as a subject complement, expressing a subjective assessment based on initial impressions. Its usage spans across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Wiki, and Science, maintaining a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. While "looks harmful" suggests an apparent negative impact, it's essential to avoid using it as a substitute for definitively proven harm. Consider alternatives like "seems detrimental" or "appears dangerous" to fine-tune your expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seems detrimental

Emphasizes the damaging or adverse nature of something.

appears dangerous

Focuses on the potential for physical harm or risk.

seems unfavorable

Highlights the negative or disadvantageous aspect.

appears risky

Stresses the element of uncertainty and potential negative consequences.

seems precarious

Indicates a state of instability or insecurity.

appears unhealthy

Suggests a state of being not physically or mentally sound.

seems counterproductive

Emphasizes that something is not achieving the desired result.

appears damaging

Focuses on the potential to cause harm or injury.

seems negative

Indicates an adverse or pessimistic impression.

appears adverse

Highlights the unfavorable or opposing nature of something.

FAQs

How can I use "looks harmful" in a sentence?

You can use ""looks harmful"" to describe something that gives the impression of being dangerous or detrimental. For example: "The new policy looks harmful to small businesses."

What are some alternatives to "looks harmful"?

You can use alternatives like "seems detrimental", "appears dangerous", or "seems unfavorable" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "looks harmful" in formal writing?

Yes, ""looks harmful"" is appropriate in formal writing, especially when you want to convey an initial impression or assessment that something might be detrimental, but you don't have conclusive evidence yet.

What's the difference between saying something "looks harmful" and saying it "is harmful"?

Saying something "looks harmful" suggests a preliminary assessment based on appearance or initial observation. Saying something "is harmful" implies that the harm has been confirmed through evidence or investigation.