major drawback

USAGE SUMMARY

"major drawback" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a significant disadvantage or limitation of something. For example: "One of the major drawbacks of the new healthcare plan is that it offers limited coverage for certain services."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Compulsory figures had a major drawback, though.

The New York Times - Sports

It did have one major drawback, though.

The New York Times

Weight is a major drawback of the ViewPad.

The New York Times - Tech

"That is a major drawback," Mr. Hill said.

The New York Times

A major drawback of reverse mortgages is high closing costs.

The New York Times

The major drawback to Botox, experts say, is cost.

The New York Times - Health

The major drawback to prefabrication is the dilution of responsibility.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One major drawback is that you can't search by price.

The New York Times - Travel

The villa, however, had one major drawback: its size.

The New York Times

The Transit system suffers from one major drawback.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Meanwhile, a Canadian marriage license has at least one major drawback.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the "major drawback" of something, be specific about why it is a significant issue and its potential consequences.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the impact of the "major drawback". Provide a balanced perspective by acknowledging potential benefits or mitigating factors alongside the limitation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "major drawback" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a significant disadvantage or limitation. Ludwig confirms its correct usage across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "major drawback" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression for denoting a significant disadvantage or limitation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it appears across diverse sources, including news media, scientific publications, and encyclopedias, indicating its broad applicability. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by explicitly stating why the drawback is significant. Alternatives such as "significant disadvantage" or "key limitation" can be considered for stylistic variation. While widely accepted, avoid overstating the impact of the drawback and strive for a balanced perspective. Overall, "major drawback" serves as an effective tool for highlighting notable negative aspects in a clear and concise manner.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant disadvantage

Emphasizes the disadvantage aspect, using a more general term than 'drawback'.

key limitation

Focuses on the restrictive nature of the drawback.

primary disadvantage

Replaces 'major' with 'primary', stressing the importance of the disadvantage.

chief shortcoming

Uses 'shortcoming' to highlight the deficiency.

principal weakness

Replaces 'drawback' with 'weakness', indicating a point of vulnerability.

main disadvantage

Uses "main" to highlight the disadvantage.

serious flaw

Highlights the imperfection.

notable downside

Focuses on the negative aspect using "downside".

considerable disadvantage

Uses "considerable" to highlight the disadvantage.

biggest problem

Uses a more straightforward and less formal term: "problem".

FAQs

How can I use "major drawback" in a sentence?

You can use "major drawback" to point out a significant disadvantage of something, like: "A major drawback of the electric car is the limited driving range".

What's a good substitute for "major drawback"?

Alternatives include "significant disadvantage", "key limitation", or "primary disadvantage" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "major drawback" or "serious flaw"?

Both "major drawback" and "serious flaw" are valid, but "major drawback" might be preferred in more neutral contexts, while "serious flaw" emphasizes a more critical defect.

What are some common examples of a "major drawback"?

Common examples include the high cost of a product, the limited availability of a resource, or the potential side effects of a medication.