overwhelming penalty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overwhelming penalty" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a penalty that is excessively severe or difficult to bear, often in legal or disciplinary contexts. Example: "The court imposed an overwhelming penalty on the defendant for their repeated offenses, leaving them with little hope for rehabilitation."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Furthermore, it is at least two to four times faster than central finite differences, without an overwhelming penalty in computer memory.

Journal of Computational Physics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Support for the death penalty is overwhelming, but recent Gallup polls have shown it slipping, from a peak of 80percentt in 1994, to 66percentt, its lowest point since 1978, when it was 62percentt.

The New York Times

Still, overwhelming is overwhelming.

The New York Times - Arts

He testified today that he had supported the death penalty in the overwhelming majority of cases before him.

The New York Times

Mr. White's supporters have disputed that characterization and noted that he upheld the death penalty in the overwhelming number of cases that came before him, Mr. Ashcroft's supporters have acknowledged that they are concerned about the effect of Mr. White's appearance and have held discussions as to how he should be questioned.

The New York Times

In a conservative dominated Nebraska Legislature, there was an overwhelming vote against the death penalty.

Huffington Post

Death penalty advocates, conditioned to overwhelming public support for capital punishment, have been surprised, if not astonished, by some of the national polling data that has come in over the past several months.

The New York Times

An overwhelming majority of Germans consider the death penalty as unconscionable as the slave trade.

The New York Times

They said death penalty lawyers, often confronted with overwhelming evidence of guilt, focused on one goal: keeping their clients from being executed.

The New York Times

"Nothing in today's ruling undermines the overwhelming evidence that California has a dysfunctional death penalty system that is broken beyond repair," the center said in a statement.

Los Angeles Times

A strong majority of evangelicals are still in favor of the death penalty, but that's moving from an overwhelming majority to a strong one," Stetzer added.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "overwhelming penalty", ensure that the context clearly establishes why the penalty is considered excessive or unbearable. Provide specific details about the penalty's impact to justify the adjective.

Common error

Avoid using "overwhelming penalty" hyperbolically. Ensure the penalty genuinely creates a significant hardship or disproportionate consequence, rather than simply being undesirable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overwhelming penalty" functions as a noun phrase where "overwhelming" modifies the noun "penalty". It serves to emphasize the magnitude or severity of the penalty being described. Ludwig identifies the phrase as grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "overwhelming penalty" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a penalty perceived as excessively severe or burdensome. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's a valid expression, although relatively rare in occurrence. Its primary function is to emphasize the magnitude and impact of the penalty, often found in contexts such as news reporting or scientific discussions where objectivity is crucial. While alternatives like "severe punishment" or "harsh sanction" exist, "overwhelming" specifically conveys a sense of being burdened beyond normal capacity. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the penalty genuinely warrants such a strong descriptor to prevent overstatement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

severe punishment

Replaces "overwhelming" with a more common adjective to describe the intensity of the penalty.

harsh sanction

Substitutes both "overwhelming" and "penalty" with synonyms emphasizing the strict nature of the consequence.

crippling fine

Replaces "penalty" with a specific type of penalty and uses "crippling" to convey the severe impact.

excessive repercussions

Emphasizes the disproportionate nature of the penalty using "excessive" and replacing "penalty" with a broader term.

debilitating consequence

Focuses on the weakening effect of the penalty, highlighting its damaging impact.

crushing burden

Shifts the focus to the heavy weight or load imposed by the penalty.

devastating forfeiture

Emphasizes the destructive nature of the penalty, framing it as a significant loss.

ruinous levy

Highlights the potential for the penalty to cause ruin or destruction, particularly financially.

onerous charge

Focuses on the burdensome and oppressive nature of the penalty.

unbearable cost

Emphasizes the difficulty in enduring or paying the penalty.

FAQs

How can I use "overwhelming penalty" in a sentence?

You can use "overwhelming penalty" to describe a punishment that is extremely severe or difficult to bear. For example: "The judge imposed an "overwhelming penalty" on the company for its environmental violations."

What are some alternatives to "overwhelming penalty"?

Some alternatives include "severe punishment", "harsh sanction", or "crippling fine", depending on the specific context you're aiming for.

Is it correct to describe a penalty as "overwhelming"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to describe a penalty as "overwhelming" if the penalty is considered extremely severe or burdensome. The term emphasizes the magnitude of the consequence.

What makes a penalty "overwhelming" as opposed to simply "severe"?

While both terms indicate a high degree of seriousness, "overwhelming" suggests that the penalty is so great that it's difficult to manage or endure. It implies a sense of being completely burdened or overcome by the consequence, while a "severe penalty" might simply be very harsh.