seriously impair

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "seriously impair" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant negative effect on something, often in a serious context. Example: "The new regulations could seriously impair the company's ability to operate efficiently."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Physical/psychiatric impairments that would seriously impair physical mobility.

BMC Cancer

Patients with a physical/psychiatric impairment that would seriously impair their physical mobility.

BMC Cancer

However, the hypothesis is hereby formulated that the resultant functional impairment and the adverse action of gravity may combine to seriously impair the biomechanics of gait.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

These aspects seriously impair siRNAs as therapeutics.

International Journal of Pharmaceutics

It said that steroid use can seriously impair a person's health.

The New York Times

"Minor restorations and replacements to mouldings" did not seriously impair its quality.

The New York Times - Arts

The results revealed that even low energy impact could seriously impair the tensile properties of [±45°]4 composites.

Composites Part B: Engineering

Colloidal fouling of reverse osmosis (RO) elements can seriously impair the performance of membranes resulting in loss of productivity.

Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering

But when they can't, patients are prone to repeated seizures that can seriously impair their ability to lead normal lives.

Stanford University

That incident prompted a US missile strike on the base, although the strike did not seriously impair its operations.

The Guardian

The experimental data show that this effect could seriously impair the thermal performance of the cooling tower.

Applied Thermal Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To avoid overuse, vary your vocabulary by substituting "seriously impair" with alternatives like "severely hinder" or "greatly compromise", especially in lengthy documents.

Common error

Avoid using "seriously impair" when the effect is minor or easily reversible. Overusing the phrase can diminish its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seriously impair" functions as a verb phrase, where "seriously" modifies the verb "impair" to intensify its meaning. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely used. The examples show it in use in many contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "seriously impair" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe a significant negative impact. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, particularly science, news, and formal business communications. When writing, it's crucial to ensure the severity of the impact aligns with the situation and to consider varying your vocabulary using synonyms like "severely hinder" or "gravely affect" to maintain clarity and impact. Avoiding overstatement ensures the phrase retains its potency. With a solid presence in authoritative sources like The New York Times and scientific journals, "seriously impair" remains a reliable choice for conveying substantial detriment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

severely hinder

Replaces "impair" with "hinder" and "seriously" with "severely", both suggesting a strong obstruction.

gravely affect

Substitutes "impair" with "affect" and "seriously" with "gravely", emphasizing the detrimental influence.

significantly damage

Replaces "impair" with "damage" and "seriously" with "significantly", focusing on the harm caused.

critically undermine

Changes "impair" to "undermine" and "seriously" to "critically", highlighting the weakening effect.

substantially degrade

Replaces "impair" with "degrade" and "seriously" with "substantially", indicating a reduction in quality or condition.

adversely impact

Substitutes "seriously impair" with "adversely impact", a more formal and direct expression of negative effect.

greatly compromise

Changes "impair" to "compromise" and "seriously" to "greatly", suggesting a significant reduction in effectiveness or quality.

deeply weaken

Replaces "impair" with "weaken" and "seriously" with "deeply", stressing the reduction in strength or power.

markedly diminish

Substitutes "impair" with "diminish" and "seriously" with "markedly", highlighting a noticeable reduction.

fundamentally impair

Replaces "seriously" with "fundamentally", suggesting a core or essential impairment.

FAQs

How can I use "seriously impair" in a sentence?

You can use "seriously impair" to describe a significant negative effect on something. For example, "The budget cuts could "seriously impair" the quality of education".

What can I say instead of "seriously impair"?

You can use alternatives like "severely hinder", "gravely affect", or "significantly damage" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "seriously impair" or "slightly impair"?

"Seriously impair" indicates a significant negative impact, while "slightly impair" suggests a minor effect. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the extent of the impairment.

What's the difference between "seriously impair" and "seriously affect"?

"Seriously impair" implies a reduction in function or ability, whereas "seriously affect" indicates a strong influence that may not necessarily reduce functionality. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize diminished capability or general impact.