on a poor note

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on a poor note" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or event that ends unfavorably or with negative feelings. Example: "The meeting concluded on a poor note, leaving many team members feeling frustrated and unheard."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Leeds United's season ended on a poor note when they were beaten 2-1 by Leicester at Elland Road.

The Guardian - Sport

The quarter also ended on a poor note as spending rose just 0.1percentt in June after a 0.6percentt gain a month earlier.

The New York Times

The tradeoff for a large turnout is a long Demo Day, and you'd hate to end the event on a poor note (read: tired, grumpy hackers and attendees).

TechCrunch

Lindwall started the tour on a poor note in the First Test at Wanderers in Johannesburg, scoring 21 and then going wicketless as Australia completed an innings victory.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Nonetheless, we ended on a sweet note.

The New York Times

Stop on a good note!

WikiHow

She ends on a note of love.

The New York Times - Books

"On a positive note, as poor as we did, we still won the game, and we did enough," Hobbs said.

The New York Times - Sports

Sanders then ended on a somber note, saying his poor Jewish parents from Poland could never have imagined him running for president.

Vice

It turns out the $50 bill foisted on the Bedford Free Library was "a very poor quality note," Mr. Saez said.

The New York Times

Your boss is free to run his private life as he wishes, but bringing this type of behaviour to work is, as you note, a poor choice on his part.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "on a poor note", ensure the context clearly indicates what is ending poorly. For example, specify whether it's a season, a meeting, or a performance.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "on a poor note" automatically implies complete failure. It simply indicates that the ending wasn't ideal, not necessarily that everything leading up to it was also negative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on a poor note" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb by describing the manner in which an action occurs or a situation concludes. It specifies that something ends or begins in an undesirable or unfavorable way, aligning with Ludwig AI's grammatical correctness assessment.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

40%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "on a poor note" is a grammatically sound and usable adverbial phrase that describes an unfavorable ending or beginning. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and while it is relatively rare, its meaning is clear and consistent across various contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media and Wiki sources, the phrase conveys disappointment or dissatisfaction. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly defines what is ending or starting poorly to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives like "on a sour note" or "on a disappointing note" for slight variations in tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on a sour note

Replaces "poor" with "sour", emphasizing a displeasing or disagreeable ending.

on a disappointing note

Replaces "poor" with "disappointing", highlighting the letdown aspect of the ending.

on a negative note

Replaces "poor" with "negative", focusing on the adverse or unfavorable aspect.

on a low note

Replaces "poor" with "low", suggesting a subdued or undesirable conclusion.

on a bad note

Substitutes "poor" with "bad", indicating an undesirable or unpleasant ending.

to end badly

Uses a verb phrase to convey the idea of something ending unfavorably, differing in structure.

to start badly

Uses a verb phrase to convey the idea of something beginning unfavorably, differing in structure.

on a downbeat note

Replaces "poor" with "downbeat", suggesting a pessimistic or gloomy conclusion.

in an unfortunate manner

Uses a more formal expression to indicate an undesirable or unlucky outcome, with a significant difference in wording.

under unfavorable circumstances

Indicates that something occurred in undesirable or disadvantageous conditions, changing the focus from the ending to the circumstances.

FAQs

What does it mean to say something ended "on a poor note"?

It means that something concluded in an unfavorable or disappointing way. It doesn't necessarily mean everything leading up to the end was bad, just that the final part was not positive.

What are some alternatives to saying "on a poor note"?

You could say it ended "on a sour note", "on a disappointing note", or "on a negative note", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to use the phrase "on a poor note"?

Yes, the phrase "on a poor note" is grammatically correct and commonly used to describe an unfavorable ending or beginning.

Can "on a poor note" be used to describe a beginning as well as an ending?

Yes, while it's more commonly used to describe how something ends, it can also describe how something starts. For example, "The project started on a poor note due to initial setbacks."