negative emphasis

USAGE SUMMARY

"negative emphasis" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You might use "negative emphasis" when you want to point out the importance of a particular negative concept or event. For example, "Despite its flaws, the company has placed a strong negative emphasis on unethical practices."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Or just stick liberal in when you need a bit of negative emphasis.

The New Yorker

Greater negative emphasis may be placed on witnessing victims die rather than on producing simulated harmful actions, subsequently resulting in greater utilitarian responses8,10,18.

Nature

In fact, Germans from both sides of the fading divide have responded to Mr. Liefers's approach, warm and personal yet still critical, more nuanced than either the idealized nostalgia known as Ostalgie or the negative emphasis only on oppression and the secret police.

The New York Times

Chris Leslie, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, also had a more negative emphasis than Reeves and revealed there was no shadow cabinet meeting before her announcement on Friday night that: "I support reform and I support what has been announced this week, although we need to see a lot more detail about what that will mean in practice".

The Guardian

Often he has been called The Great Dissenter because of the brilliance of his dissenting opinions, but the phrase gives a falsely negative emphasis, and his penetration and originality are seen as fully in the opinions in which he expressed or concurred in the majority view of the court as in those in which he was in dissent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The negative emphasis in Xenocrates' evaluation of philosophical activity as "stopping the disturbance of the affairs of life" ([Galen], Historia philosophiae 8, in Diels 1879 605.7 8) sounds like a step in the direction of the Hellenistic goal of undisturbedness.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Given such likely negative outcomes, emphasis has been placed on the earliest phase of psychosis, considered a "critical period" of five years [ 14] when patients' psychosocial health may otherwise be most likely to decline [ 15] unless long term health trajectories are re-established [ 16].

BMC Psychiatry

Research has shown that those who swap focusing on the small, everyday negatives for emphasis on brief, joyful moments tend to be happier overall.

HuffPost

This leads to reviews and development plans that focus on negatives— where the emphasis is on "improving" a person into someone he is not.

Harvard Business Review

The findings of the present study revealed that the new English listening test had both positive impacts (the instructional practices reflected the intended purpose of the test policy) and negative ones (heavy emphases on test practice and drilling of grammar) on the teachers from both types of school.

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

Mr. Deeds has been broadly criticized, not least by stalwarts of his own party, for putting too heavy an emphasis on negative ads about Mr. McDonnell and failing to make an affirmative case for himself.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing strategies for improvement, balance the "negative emphasis" on current shortcomings with a clear articulation of future goals. This will prevent readers from feeling discouraged.

Common error

Avoid relying solely on "negative emphasis" when presenting information. While highlighting issues is important, remember to provide context by also indicating potential upsides or positive future projections, otherwise the message could come across as too pessimistic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "negative emphasis" functions as a noun phrase. It describes the act of giving prominence or importance to unfavorable or adverse aspects of something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, further supporting its validity as a descriptive term.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "negative emphasis" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, though relatively uncommon in general usage. Ludwig's AI confirms its validity, indicating that it fits seamlessly within the English language. The phrase is often used in neutral contexts such as news reports and scientific analyses, to describe situations where unfavorable aspects are given undue prominence. While its use is appropriate for highlighting problems, it should be balanced with positive aspects to avoid creating a discouraging tone. Consider alternatives like "adverse focus" or "unfortunate emphasis" for varying degrees of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfortunate emphasis

Replaces "negative" with "unfortunate", softening the tone while maintaining the focus on an undesirable aspect.

adverse focus

Substitutes "emphasis" with "focus" and "negative" with "adverse", conveying a similar meaning with slightly different wording.

undesirable highlighting

Uses "undesirable" and "highlighting" to replace "negative" and "emphasis", respectively, shifting the perspective slightly.

pessimistic stress

Employs "pessimistic" and "stress" for "negative" and "emphasis", suggesting a more emotional undertone.

unfavorable accentuation

Replaces "emphasis" with the more formal "accentuation" and "negative" with "unfavorable", increasing formality.

disproportionate negativity

Focuses on the imbalance of negativity, rather than the emphasis itself.

overemphasis on the downside

Rephrases to emphasize the excessive focus on the negative aspects.

undue importance to shortcomings

Shifts the focus to the importance given to flaws or weaknesses.

concentration on flaws

Highlights the focus on imperfections or defects.

negative spotlight

Focuses on directing attention towards something unfavorable.

FAQs

How can I use "negative emphasis" in a sentence?

You can use "negative emphasis" to describe a situation where focus is disproportionately placed on unfavorable aspects. For example, "The report placed a strong "negative emphasis" on the company's recent losses."

What's a less formal way to say "negative emphasis"?

Alternatives to "negative emphasis" include "adverse focus" or "unfortunate emphasis", which might be more suitable for informal contexts.

Is it always bad to use "negative emphasis"?

Not necessarily. "Negative emphasis" can be useful when you need to highlight problems or areas needing improvement. However, it's important to balance it with positive aspects to avoid discouragement. Consider also using a "positive emphasis" when and if appropriate.

What are some phrases similar to "negative emphasis"?

Similar phrases include "concentration on flaws", "overemphasis on the downside", or "disproportionate negativity". Each offers a slightly different nuance while still conveying a focus on unfavorable aspects.