needless mistakes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "needless mistakes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe errors that are unnecessary or avoidable, often in contexts related to work, learning, or communication. Example: "The report was filled with needless mistakes that could have been easily corrected with a thorough review."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The hard facts are that he began the day with a one-stroke lead and responded with a four-over-par 74 in a final round that had far too many needless mistakes.

The New York Times - Sports

There were a lot of needless mistakes that we need to improve on.

BBC

But many candidates falter, making needless mistakes that tarnish potentially award-winning applications: Research plans are overambitious, incoherent, or too diffuse, for example.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Such a needless mistake.

The Guardian - Sport

Needless to say, mistakes were made there, too.

The New York Times

Needless to say, these mistakes do not typically favor the borrowers.

The New York Times

Just look at all those fat-cat bankers who pushed for the biggest state intervention for a century to rectify their disastrous mistakes – although, needless to say, they don't blame themselves but all those poor people who choked on cheap credit after buying their dodgy products.

The Guardian - Books

Needless to say, these obvious mistakes are numerically insignificant, and do not change the main results.

Latin American Economic Review

Needless to say, this honest mistake could cost me a major placement: a PR girl's worst nightmare.

Huffington Post

But Mr Koizumi has made some mistakes: he caused a needless fuss last August by insisting on visiting the Yasukuni shrine, where Japan's war dead and some war criminals are commemorated.

The Economist

Needless to say, I made the mistake of going to the pub to watch the semi-final.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "needless mistakes", specify the type of mistakes and their consequences to provide clarity and impact. For instance, "needless mistakes in the financial report led to significant losses".

Common error

Avoid using "needless mistakes" without providing specific examples or context. Instead of saying "The presentation was full of needless mistakes", specify what those mistakes were to give constructive feedback.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "needless mistakes" functions as a noun phrase, where "needless" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "mistakes". It is used to describe errors that were unnecessary or avoidable. Ludwig AI validates its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "needless mistakes" is a grammatically sound and readily understandable expression used to denote avoidable errors. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and the availability of synonyms such as "avoidable errors" and "unnecessary errors". While applicable across different registers, it is crucial to provide specific examples of the mistakes to enhance clarity and impact. It is most frequently encountered in News & Media contexts. When using "needless mistakes", ensure you're not overgeneralizing and offer concrete details to make your feedback more constructive.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

avoidable errors

Emphasizes the preventability of the errors.

unnecessary errors

Highlights the lack of necessity for the errors.

preventable mistakes

Focuses on the mistakes that could have been prevented.

gratuitous errors

Stresses the unwarranted or uncalled-for nature of the errors.

pointless errors

Highlights the lack of purpose or value in making the errors.

unforced errors

Highlights that errors occurred without external pressure.

unwarranted mistakes

Highlights that mistakes cannot be justified.

senseless blunders

Emphasizes the lack of sense or reason behind the blunders.

careless errors

Highlights the lack of attention to detail that resulted in the errors.

reckless mistakes

Emphasizes the imprudence behind the errors.

FAQs

What are some synonyms for "needless mistakes"?

Alternatives include "avoidable errors", "unnecessary errors", and "preventable mistakes", which all convey the idea of errors that could have been avoided.

How can I use "needless mistakes" in a sentence?

You can say, "The project failed due to a series of "needless mistakes" in the planning phase", or "The student lost points for making "needless mistakes" on the exam".

What is the difference between "needless mistakes" and "careless mistakes"?

"Needless mistakes" emphasizes that the errors were unnecessary and avoidable, while "careless mistakes" implies a lack of attention or effort.

Is "needless mistakes" a formal or informal phrase?

The phrase "needless mistakes" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, as it is a straightforward and widely understood expression.