negative adjectives

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "negative adjectives" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing adjectives that convey unfavorable or undesirable qualities. For example, "The story was filled with negative adjectives that painted a bleak picture." Alternative expressions include "unfavorable adjectives" and "detrimental adjectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

When asked what Americans thought about immigrants of their national origin, 65 percent of the students provided negative adjectives.

The New York Times

Throw in complaints against gay and lame as all-purpose negative adjectives, and the picture is complete.

The Economist

Provided with a list of positive and negative adjectives and asked to indicate which they associate with the country in 2015, Britons are far more likely to associate the positive words than the negative.

The Guardian

Rather than requiring human staff to trawl through hours of recordings, West uses Nexidia's technology to search for keywords and phases, such as positive or negative adjectives, or the names of competitors.

The Economist

Similarly, a usage of negative adjectives in connection with mentioning of a group or person may indicate negative identification.

Security Informatics

After processing the text, we count for each biography the numbers of positive (W_) and negative (W_) words, and from those the numbers of positive adjectives (A_) and negative adjectives (A_).

EPJ Data Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

And also used the word "bites" as a negative adjective.

The Guardian

Earlier this year, one campaigner fired a shot with an e-petition to Number 10. "Africans are the only race called in a negative adjective, the word black in its definition says it all; dark, gloomy obscure, dusky, murky, dim and etc. 'Black' is often associated with catastrophic events such as Black Monday which refers to Monday 19 October , 1987 when stock markets around the world crashed.

The Guardian

I'm sure if you're still reading this, you're well aware of their dictatorship, and how dangerous, brutal, malicious, and every other negative adjective to follow, it can be.

Huffington Post

And what had happened moments before her call to me: Her supposed best friend, (my client had spent New Year's Eve with her and her husband the night before) called to tell her that her new love was "boring, unappealing," and some other mean, negative adjective I cannot recall.

Huffington Post

However, while the control group showed higher impression retention for negative trait adjectives compared to positive trait adjectives, the stress group showed higher impression retention for positive trait adjectives compared to negative trait adjectives.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for objectivity, minimize the use of "negative adjectives". Opt for neutral or factual language to avoid biased perceptions.

Common error

Avoid stacking multiple "negative adjectives" to describe a single subject. This can create overly dramatic or excessively critical writing. Choose the most impactful adjective instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "negative adjectives" primarily functions as a noun phrase, referring to a category of words. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "negative adjectives" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that serves to categorize words expressing unfavorable qualities. As Ludwig AI highlights, it finds common usage across news, scientific research, and general writing, offering a means to discuss language, sentiment, and persuasive techniques. While its register is generally neutral, mindful application is essential to avoid biasing perceptions and overly critical tones. When more precision or objectivity is desired, related alternatives like "unfavorable descriptors" or "pejorative terms" may provide suitable replacements.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfavorable adjectives

Directly replaces "negative" with "unfavorable", maintaining a similar level of formality and meaning.

negative descriptors

Focuses on the act of describing, rather than specifying a grammatical category. It uses the word "descriptors" instead of "adjectives".

unfavorable descriptors

Replaces "adjectives" with "descriptors", focusing on the act of describing rather than the grammatical category.

pejorative terms

Uses "terms" instead of "adjectives" and "pejorative" instead of "negative", indicating words with derogatory connotations.

derogatory modifiers

Employs "modifiers" as a substitute for "adjectives", highlighting the function of modifying nouns with negative implications.

negative attribute words

Replaces "adjectives" with "attribute words", highlighting the role of adjectives in ascribing attributes with negative meaning.

critical adjectives

Substitutes "negative" with "critical", suggesting adjectives that express disapproval or judgment.

uncomplimentary adjectives

Replaces "negative" with "uncomplimentary", indicating adjectives that are not flattering or positive.

adjectives with negative connotations

Expands the phrase to explicitly mention the "connotations", emphasizing the implied meaning behind the adjectives.

words with negative valence

Uses "words" instead of "adjectives" and introduces the concept of "valence", referring to the emotional charge of the words.

FAQs

How can I use "negative adjectives" effectively in writing?

Use "negative adjectives" sparingly and strategically to create emphasis or convey specific emotions. Overuse can lead to a biased or overly critical tone.

What are some examples of common "negative adjectives"?

Examples include "awful", "terrible", "bad", "unpleasant", and "disgusting". The specific word choice depends on the context and the degree of negativity you wish to convey.

Which is better, using "negative adjectives" or describing the problem directly?

Describing the problem directly is often more effective and objective. Instead of saying "the food was disgusting", you could say "the food was undercooked and lacked seasoning".

What can I say instead of using harsh "negative adjectives"?

Consider using "unfavorable adjectives" or "pejorative terms" for a more nuanced or formal tone. You can also rephrase to focus on the factual aspects of the issue.