overwhelming risk

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overwhelming risk" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or condition that presents a significant or excessive level of danger or uncertainty. Example: "Investing in that startup poses an overwhelming risk due to its lack of a solid business plan."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Another arm of the trial, involving women taking estrogen alone, is continuing because the evidence shows neither an overwhelming risk nor an overwhelming benefit.

The New York Times

After returning to port, Jellicoe issued an order that prohibited risking the fleet in the southern half of the North Sea due to the overwhelming risk from mines and U-boats.

Wikipedia

Inhalation of asbestos fibres is the overwhelming risk factor for malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive and fatal cancer, as well as lung cancer and asbestosis.

Global Health Action

Maternal condyloma or genital HPV infection during pregnancy is the overwhelming risk factor for juvenile onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (more than 200-fold increased risk) [ 43, 70].

BMC Cancer

There is a danger that this reporting bias influences key staff such as social workers, doctors and teachers on older children, when the overwhelming risk of major trauma and death occurs in the first few months of life.

Emergency Medicine Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

As handpicked teams of crack policy makers presumably meet in soundproof chambers in the bowels of central banks and government ministries to plan for a euro zone rupture, they are probably contemplating how to contain two overwhelming risks.

The New York Times

These overwhelming risks of an assisted suicide law far outweigh the potential "benefits" for a handful of people.

Huffington Post

Though at least 2,400 people have died from the disease, according to the Associated Press, and people in Liberia have been ordered to stay at home because of the overwhelming risks, there has been a lack of global support, as compared to such past devastating crises as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Huffington Post

Thus, there are two overwhelming difficulties: risk from the catheterization of the dissected aorta and the accurate and prompt evaluation of NOMI.

Surgical Case Reports

Despite that the observed event rates were lower than expected, which might have compromised the study power, an early release of the trial results in May 2011 showed an overwhelming 96% risk reduction for the immediate therapy in the prevention of genetically linked HIV-1 incident transmissions.

Contemporary Clinical Trials

The risk: overwhelming infection and death.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation with "overwhelming risk", be specific about the potential consequences to emphasize the severity and encourage appropriate caution or preventative measures. For example, instead of saying "Investing in this venture is an overwhelming risk", specify the potential outcome: "Investing in this venture is an overwhelming risk, potentially leading to a complete loss of capital."

Common error

Avoid using "overwhelming risk" when the danger is merely significant or notable. Using the term for minor issues can dilute its impact and credibility when addressing truly critical threats. Ensure the scale of the risk genuinely warrants the intensity of "overwhelming".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overwhelming risk" functions primarily as a descriptor, modifying a noun. It characterizes the nature of the risk as exceptionally high or unmanageable, often used to emphasize the gravity of a potential threat. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which shows its usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

44%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overwhelming risk" is a grammatically sound and impactful phrase used to describe situations with exceptionally high levels of danger or uncertainty. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts including Science, News & Media, and Formal & Business. While alternatives exist, such as "substantial risk" or "significant hazard", "overwhelming risk" is particularly useful when you want to emphasize the severity and potential unmanageability of a specific threat. When employing this phrase, it's important to ensure its accuracy and avoid overstating the level of risk involved to maintain credibility and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantial risk

Replaces "overwhelming" with "substantial", indicating a considerable but not necessarily insurmountable level of risk.

significant hazard

Substitutes "risk" with "hazard", changing the noun while keeping the core meaning of danger, and replaces "overwhelming" with "significant".

major threat

Replaces both "overwhelming" and "risk" with "major" and "threat" respectively, shifting from potential danger to a more immediate sense of menace.

extreme danger

Uses "extreme" instead of "overwhelming" to emphasize the severity of the dangerous situation.

grave peril

Replaces "overwhelming risk" with more formal and serious terms, implying a critical and possibly life-threatening situation.

considerable danger

Similar to "substantial risk", but uses "danger" as the noun, focusing directly on the potential harm.

serious threat

Mirrors "major threat" but replaces "major" with "serious", retaining the sense of immediacy and concern.

unmanageable risk

Shifts the focus to the difficulty in dealing with the risk, implying that it is beyond control.

insurmountable hazard

Highlights the impossibility of overcoming the hazard, suggesting a situation where prevention is the only viable option.

prohibitive risk

Implies that the risk is so high that it makes a particular action or decision unadvisable or impossible.

FAQs

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

You can use "overwhelming risk" to describe situations where the potential for negative outcomes is very high. For instance, "There is an overwhelming risk of data breach if the security protocols are not updated regularly."

What are some alternatives to saying "overwhelming risk"?

You can use alternatives like "substantial risk", "significant hazard", or "major threat" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "overwhelming risk" in formal writing?

Yes, "overwhelming risk" is appropriate for formal writing, especially in contexts where you need to emphasize the severity of potential dangers. However, ensure that the term accurately reflects the scale of the risk.

What's the difference between "overwhelming risk" and "high risk"?

"Overwhelming risk" suggests that the risk is not only high but also exceedingly significant, potentially insurmountable, or extremely difficult to manage. "High risk" simply indicates a substantial level of danger but doesn't necessarily imply the same level of severity or difficulty in mitigation.