promoted fear

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "promoted fear" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where fear is encouraged or heightened, often in a context related to media, politics, or social issues. Example: "The campaign was criticized for its tactics, which promoted fear among the public regarding the new policy changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Azeem Khan, of the Islamic Circle of North America, said the bus adverts promoted fear and hatred.

The Guardian

It was a campaign that promoted fear of difference and devaluated a class of people by degrading their love.

Huffington Post

Bekir Alboga of the Turkish-Islamic Union Ditib told Deutsche Welle that the remarks promoted "fear and misunderstanding," according to Yahoo News.

Huffington Post

I blame Ted Cruz, Pat McCrory, and every single politician in America and around the world who has promoted fear and hatred against the LGBTQ community in attempt to garner more votes.

Huffington Post

It could be argued that, e.g., reducing hippocampal HDAC1 levels (which resulted in increased acetylation and c- FOS gene transcription) promoted fear memory reconsolidation rather than affecting (impairing) extinction learning directly.

Biochemical Society Transactions

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Speaking at a North Carolina rally on Thursday, Trump blamed the media's negative coverage of him for the heightened political tension in the U.S. The president also urged Democrats and the media to be more civil, ignoring his most recent rallies, in which he encouraged violence against journalists and promoted fear-mongering against immigrants.

Huffington Post

"My dad was a gentle and peaceful man; his name should not be used to promote fear and exclusion".

The Guardian

But, while the show will never win a prize for encouraging Anglo-German cultural understanding, Cleese is comically depicting – rather than politically promoting – fear of "Fritz".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Many in the west are rightly concerned that attacks such as the Paris killings promote fear among westerners, and usher in the chill of self-censorship.

The Guardian - Opinion

It also promotes fear conditioning, a form of learning in which previously neutral stimuli in the environment — sights, sounds and smells, for example — become linked with a trauma.

The New York Times

It throws immigrants into the black hole of deportation, endangers our safety by promoting fear of the police, and threatens to cost our state millions of dollars.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "promoted fear", ensure that the context clearly indicates who or what is responsible for instigating or amplifying the fear. This adds clarity and strengthens the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "promoted fear" without specifying the agent or cause of the fear. Vague statements can weaken your argument and lead to misinterpretations. Always identify who or what is responsible for promoting the fear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "promoted fear" functions as a verb phrase where "promoted" acts as a transitive verb, taking "fear" as its direct object. It describes an action that increases or encourages fear. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "promoted fear" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that describes the act of encouraging or amplifying fear. As Ludwig AI indicates, it’s suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly news and media, scientific discussions, and formal business communications. While not exceedingly common, the expression effectively conveys the idea of instigating or intensifying anxiety. When using "promoted fear", ensure you specify the source or agent responsible for instigating the fear and avoid vague statements. Alternative phrases like "incited fear" or "fueled fear" can provide nuanced variations depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incited fear

Focuses on the act of provoking or stirring up fear.

fueled fear

Highlights the act of intensifying or sustaining existing fear.

fostered fear

Suggests nurturing or encouraging the growth of fear.

stoked fear

Implies deliberately intensifying fear, often for a specific purpose.

whipped up fear

Conveys the idea of rapidly arousing or instigating widespread fear.

instilled fear

Emphasizes the act of implanting fear in someone's mind.

triggered fear

Highlights the act of initiating fear as a response to something.

bred fear

Suggests fear arising as a natural consequence of certain conditions.

sparked fear

Conveys the idea of causing a sudden and intense fear.

encouraged fear

Implies actively supporting or validating fearful sentiments.

FAQs

How can I use "promoted fear" in a sentence?

You can use "promoted fear" to describe actions or statements that have increased or encouraged fear. For example, "The media campaign was criticized for tactics that "promoted fear" among immigrants".

What are some alternatives to "promoted fear"?

Alternatives include "incited fear", "fueled fear", or "fostered fear" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "instilled fear" or "promoted fear"?

"Instilled fear" implies implanting fear where it didn't previously exist, while "promoted fear" suggests amplifying existing anxieties. The best choice depends on whether the fear was newly created or simply heightened.

What's the difference between "promoted fear" and "exploited fear"?

"Promoted fear" focuses on the act of increasing fear, while "exploited fear" suggests using existing fear for one's own advantage. "Exploited fear" implies a manipulative intent that "promoted fear" doesn't necessarily convey.