loss of character

USAGE SUMMARY

'loss of character' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a person's or group's decline in dignity or moral integrity due to a particular event, experience, or set of circumstances. For example, "The scandal caused a significant loss of character for the business, which it has been struggling to recover from ever since."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Equivalently, local regions of genotype space on which the map is discontinuous are associated with the loss of character autonomy.

Journal of Theoretical Biology

There is some control". There are also early outbreaks of the complaints that come with urban success, rising property prices and loss of character.

The Guardian - Arts

"Yorkville Keeps On Growing Taller (Sigh)" (Coping by William McDonald, Aug. 24) points out the decline and loss of character of this neighborhood.

The New York Times

Risking Loss of Character Even before the storm, New Orleans's economic ship was powered not by a couple of whales, but by a school of minnows.

The New York Times

New York University is given a slap on the wrist for contributing to the neighborhood's loss of character by evicting artists who had resided for years on its real estate.

The New York Times

At one point she just sent a letter to the mayor, describing the project, recounting her travails with the bureaucracy, highlighting the contributions of the Irish to New York and lamenting the city's gradual loss of character.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Despite many examples that illustrate that natural selection optimizes the form of organisms to their environment via the loss of characters, some lineages have become increasingly more complex throughout their evolutionary history.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Similarly, the non-independent loss of characters, due to juxtaposition in the body, during decay has the potential to bias phylogenetic analyses of non-biomineralized fossils.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Moreover, the phylogenetic signal may be low in the gene-content subtrees because of insufficient number of characters and parallel loss of characters, and in sequence family trees because of rapid sequence evolution and/or mutational saturation.

Biology Direct

With the establishment of Danio rerio, a member of rasborine clade A, as a model organism for vertebrate developmental genetics [ 30] the proportioned dwarfs and the developmentally truncated miniatures offer a challenging system of "natural mutants" to study the loss of characters and the evolution of morphological novelties comparatively at a genetic level.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

However, now that environmental V. cholerae has been studied in some detail, major components of the El Tor phenotype are known to be present in most environmental isolates, and the classical biotype is believed to have arisen by loss of characters otherwise widely present in the species (8 ).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the "loss of character" in a place or community, specify the unique features that have been diminished or erased. Give concrete examples to illustrate the changes and make your argument more compelling.

Common error

Avoid using "loss of character" as a vague critique. Instead of simply stating that something has lost its character, explain precisely which qualities are missing and why they were valuable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "loss of character" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause. It describes a state of decline or absence in terms of defining qualities, as shown by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

33%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "loss of character" is a grammatically correct and commonly used noun phrase that describes a decline or absence of defining qualities. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in written English to depict a decrease in moral integrity or distinctiveness. It appears frequently in news and media, as well as in scientific contexts, signifying its broad applicability. While the phrase is generally well-regarded, avoiding overgeneralization and specifying the lost qualities will result in stronger statements. Related phrases include "decline in moral integrity" and "erosion of values", offering nuanced alternatives depending on the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moral decay

Implies a gradual process of moral decline.

decline in moral integrity

Focuses specifically on the ethical dimension of the loss.

degradation of morals

Focuses on the lowering of moral standards.

erosion of values

Emphasizes the gradual disintegration of core beliefs.

deterioration of principles

Highlights the weakening of fundamental guidelines for behavior.

absence of virtue

Directly points to the lack of moral excellence.

demise of ethics

Suggests a complete end to ethical considerations.

debasement of standards

Indicates a lowering of accepted quality levels.

corruption of soul

Relates to the tainting or spoiling of one's innermost being.

waning of identity

Refers to a diminishing sense of self or collective identity.

FAQs

How can "loss of character" be used in a sentence?

You might say, "The rapid development led to a /s/loss+of+character in the historic district" or "His actions resulted in a /s/loss+of+character for the entire organization".

What does "loss of character" mean in the context of urban development?

In urban development, "loss of character" refers to the disappearance of unique architectural styles, local businesses, and community traditions that distinguish a place from others.

What are some synonyms for "loss of character"?

Alternatives include "decline in moral integrity", "erosion of values", or "deterioration of principles", depending on the specific meaning you want to convey.

Is it better to use "loss of character" or "decline in moral integrity"?

The best choice depends on the context. "Loss of character" is broader and can refer to places or things, while "decline in moral integrity" specifically relates to ethical principles and is typically applied to people or organizations.