one off incident

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "one-off incident" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to describe a single event or occurrence that is unusual or unexpected. Example: The police assured the public that the recent shooting was a one-off incident and not part of a larger pattern of violence in the area.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There will always be a risk of infection, though Hancock calls Bray "a one off" incident.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The 58-year-old, the sole wage earner in her family, is "unemployed and possibly unemployable" after being prosecuted and fined £400 over the one-off incident on a Leeds to Sheffield train, which, she says, effectively involved a shortfall of 40p.

The Guardian - Money

It was obvious from day one that this was no one-off incident, and was unlikely to be confined to one or two executives.

Independent

Mr Lee has admitted manslaughter and said that he kicked Tyler in the stomach on the morning he died, but said this was a one-off incident.

BBC

He thought it was a one-off incident and didn't notify police, but then on Tuesday he discovered five more kangaroos dumped in two of his trash cans, along with a discarded arrow.

Vice

Duncan added: "It's really important that people understand that this allegation relates to a unique, one-off incident dating back to 2009 and involves a potentially fraudulent claim on a deliberately damaged ticket.

The Guardian

It was a one-off incident.

The Guardian - Sport

BT claimed the delay was a one-off incident.

The Guardian - Business

It's not like a one-off incident, it's day in day out".

The Guardian

"It's not like this is a one-off incident," said the Unicef spokeswoman Juliette Touma.

The Guardian

It was a one-off incident, they believed, and Lattitude would take care of them.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "one off incident", ensure the context clearly indicates that the event is indeed isolated and not part of a recurring pattern. This helps avoid misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid prematurely labeling something a "one off incident" if there's a possibility it could be part of a larger, developing trend. Prematurely dismissing a concerning signal just because it presented itself once can lead to catastrophic consequences and serious damages.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "one off incident" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a predicate nominative or object, to describe a particular event as being singular and isolated. Ludwig provides examples that support this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "one off incident" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe an isolated event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently used in news and media to assure that an event is not part of a larger pattern. When employing this phrase, it's crucial to ensure the context accurately reflects the event's isolated nature to prevent misinterpretations. While alternatives like "isolated case" or "unique event" exist, "one off incident" provides a neutral tone suitable for various contexts. Be cautious about prematurely labeling events as "one off" without considering potential trends, as doing so could have damaging consequences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

isolated case

Emphasizes the singularity and separation of the event from any pattern.

unique event

Highlights the distinct and unusual nature of the occurrence.

singular occurrence

Stresses the fact that the event happened only once.

isolated event

Indicates the event is not part of a series or trend.

exceptional circumstance

Suggests the event is outside the norm and unlikely to be repeated.

atypical situation

Implies the event is not representative of the usual state of affairs.

rare occurrence

Highlights the infrequency of such an event.

unprecedented event

Suggests that such an event has never happened before.

uncharacteristic episode

Indicates the event is not typical of the person or situation involved.

an isolated matter

Highlights the singularity of the issue

FAQs

How can I use "one off incident" in a sentence?

You can use "one off incident" to describe a single, isolated event, such as "The company claimed the data breach was a "one off incident" and not a systemic issue.".

What's a more formal alternative to "one off incident"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "isolated case" or "unique event" instead of "one off incident". For instance, "The investigation revealed this to be an "isolated case" of fraud".

Is "one off incident" grammatically correct?

Yes, "one off incident" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to describe an isolated or unique event.

What is the difference between "one off incident" and "single incident"?

While both phrases refer to a solitary event, "one off incident" often implies that the event is unusual or unexpected, whereas "single incident" simply emphasizes that it happened once. You can use "single incident" in contexts where the focus is just on the number of occurrences.