serious ramifications

USAGE SUMMARY

"serious ramifications" is an acceptable phrase in written English.
It is used to refer to something that has serious consequences or consequences with lasting effects. For example: "The accident had serious ramifications for the ecology of the lake."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There could be very serious ramifications".

The Guardian - Sport

This has serious ramifications for employers.

The Guardian

"It changes everything and has very serious ramifications".

The New York Times

The strike could have serious ramifications for the company.

The New York Times

That may be true, but not making that clear to the bank has serious ramifications.

The New York Times

Any other result will have serious ramifications for those involved, Batista and Messi especially.

Independent

Nevertheless, there could be serious ramifications for education, scholarship, government and even national security.

The Economist

If it succeeds, that strategy could have serious ramifications for investors in other companies.

The New York Times

Genital surgery, however, can have more serious ramifications - both physical and psychological.

Independent

The military responded with a strongly worded statement warning of "serious ramifications".

The Economist

That game could have serious ramifications for each of last year's Grand Finalists.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing potential future events or decisions, use "serious ramifications" to underscore the importance of careful consideration and planning. For instance, "Ignoring safety protocols could have "serious ramifications" for employee well-being."

Common error

While "serious ramifications" is widely accepted, avoid using it excessively in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for simpler alternatives like "big consequences" or "major problems" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serious ramifications" functions as a noun phrase that typically acts as the object of a verb or preposition, describing potential consequences or effects resulting from a particular action, decision, or event. Ludwig confirms its acceptability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "serious ramifications" is a widely used phrase that denotes significant and potentially negative consequences. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's acceptability and provides numerous examples from diverse sources. Predominantly found in News & Media and scientific contexts, the phrase serves to underscore the importance of careful consideration when evaluating actions or decisions. While versatile, it's best suited for neutral to formal settings. When you want to say something has negative consequences, but with a strong emphasis, "serious ramifications" is often a solid choice, but don't overuse it in informal situations where simpler expressions might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

grave consequences

Replaces "ramifications" with "consequences" and "serious" with "grave", emphasizing the weighty and negative impact.

severe repercussions

Substitutes "ramifications" with "repercussions" and "serious" with "severe", indicating harsh and far-reaching effects.

dire implications

Uses "implications" instead of "ramifications" and "dire" instead of "serious", highlighting the alarming and urgent nature of the consequences.

critical aftereffects

Replaces "ramifications" with "aftereffects" and "serious" with "critical", focusing on the crucial and significant results that follow an event.

significant consequences

Uses "significant" instead of "serious", emphasizing the noteworthiness and importance of the outcomes.

far-reaching effects

Focuses on the extent and scope of the impact, rather than the severity.

major implications

Emphasizes the scale and importance of the consequences, using "major" to highlight their significance.

profound impact

Highlights the depth and intensity of the effect, suggesting a transformative or fundamental change.

adverse outcomes

Focuses specifically on the negative results or consequences.

unfavorable consequences

Highlights the undesirable or disadvantageous nature of the results.

FAQs

How can I use "serious ramifications" in a sentence?

Use "serious ramifications" to emphasize that an action or decision could have significant negative consequences. For example, "The proposed budget cuts could have "serious ramifications" for public services".

What are some alternatives to "serious ramifications"?

You can use alternatives like "grave consequences", "severe repercussions", or "dire implications" depending on the specific context and desired emphasis.

What's the difference between "serious ramifications" and "serious consequences"?

While similar, "serious ramifications" often implies a more complex and far-reaching set of effects than "serious consequences". "Consequences" is a more general term, while "ramifications" suggests a branching, cascading series of outcomes.

Is it appropriate to use "serious ramifications" in formal writing?

Yes, "serious ramifications" is perfectly suitable for formal writing, especially in academic, business, or news contexts where a high level of precision and impact is required. It is commonly used in reports, articles, and presentations to highlight significant potential outcomes.