nothing of consequence

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence 'nothing of consequence' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is not important or meaningful. For example, "He said he had to work late, but I don't think it was anything of consequence."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

Her mother tells her it contains "nothing of consequence".

The New York Times - Books

Zaha's flicks and stepovers accomplished nothing of consequence before he was replaced in the 62nd minute.

The Guardian - Sport

His team, he said, was deceived into performing as if nothing of consequence had taken place.

The New York Times - Sports

The answer may well be that nothing of consequence was eavesdropped.

The Guardian

As it was, I'd retreat to my office and spend some time doing nothing of consequence.

The New Yorker

He and the doctor went to visit the site of Doul, but nothing of consequence remained.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

"They have this notion of one version of the truth, that nothing is of consequence unless it's in their enterprise data warehouse".

The New York Times

They found $600, for which he produced a bank receipt, and nothing else of consequence, according to Brown.

Vice

Nowadays, barring a major gaffe (plagiarism again?) or perhaps a violent protest, nothing much of consequence happens at these conventions.

Huffington Post

The markets behave on the assumption, probably entirely correct, that Congress will, as always, raise the debt ceiling at the last minute, and do nothing else of consequence.

Huffington Post

When a man of cranky interests picks up his fountain pen, the result is, very often, nothing of any consequence.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "nothing of consequence", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being deemed unimportant. For example, "The meeting concluded, but nothing of consequence was decided."

Common error

While "nothing of consequence" is suitable for many contexts, avoid using it in very informal situations where simpler phrases like "not a big deal" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nothing of consequence" functions as a noun phrase that modifies a verb, adjective, or another noun, typically to express the absence of importance, impact, or significance. Ludwig AI indicates that the usage is correct and common.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "nothing of consequence" is a versatile and grammatically correct way to express a lack of importance or significance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is commonly used, particularly in news and media contexts. While it can be replaced with synonyms like "of no importance" or "inconsequential", it's important to consider the level of formality appropriate for the situation. To ensure correct usage, make sure the context clearly indicates what is being deemed unimportant, and consider simpler alternatives for very informal settings. Its widespread usage in reputable sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian suggests its reliability and acceptance in formal and semi-formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

of no importance

This alternative directly substitutes "consequence" with "importance", maintaining a very similar meaning but with a slightly simpler structure.

of no significance

This alternative replaces "consequence" with "significance", emphasizing the lack of importance or notable quality.

without significance

This alternative expresses the lack of importance in a more concise and direct manner.

not important at all

This alternative is a more emphatic way of saying something lacks importance, using a more common and direct wording.

inconsequential

This alternative provides a single-word adjective to describe something lacking importance, offering a more concise option.

not of any account

This alternative uses a slightly more formal or old-fashioned expression to convey a lack of importance.

of little account

Similar to "not of any account", this conveys a lack of value or importance, but uses slightly different phrasing.

not worth mentioning

This alternative focuses on the idea that something is so insignificant it does not deserve to be mentioned.

of no moment

This alternative uses "moment" to indicate a lack of importance, which carries a slightly more formal tone.

not a big deal

This alternative is an informal way of saying something is not important or problematic.

FAQs

How can I use "nothing of consequence" in a sentence?

Use "nothing of consequence" to indicate that something is unimportant or has no significant effect. For example, "The changes to the policy were "of no consequence" to the overall outcome."

What are some alternatives to "nothing of consequence"?

You can use phrases like "of no importance", "of no significance", or "inconsequential" depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "nothing of consequence" or "not of consequence"?

"Nothing of consequence" is more common and flows better in most sentences. "Not of consequence" is grammatically correct but sounds slightly awkward. It's often better to rephrase using alternatives like "unimportant" or "insignificant".

What's the difference between "nothing of consequence" and "nothing of significance"?

The phrases "nothing of consequence" and "nothing of significance" are very similar in meaning and are often interchangeable. "Significance" might emphasize the importance or notable quality of something, while "consequence" focuses on the impact or result, but the difference is minimal in most contexts.