shocking efforts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shocking efforts" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe efforts that are surprising or unexpected, often in a negative context. Example: "The shocking efforts made by the team to cover up the incident left everyone in disbelief."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The result has been rampant profit-seeking: overprescription of medications, excessive testing and shocking efforts to cut corners.

The Guardian

Robert Copsey, in the review of the single itself, found the recording to be lacking in creativity, leaving him to comment that "'Carry Out' is one of Timbaland's least shocking efforts to date".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The Warriors can hardly go any worse under McFadden than their shocking effort last week but it remains to be seen if they can find enough improvement to collect the two points.

The Guardian - Sport

It stayed 4-0, Liverpayingaying the price for needless generosity when Sturridge showed why he is not their regular penalty taker with a shocking effort, but the message delivered by Rodgers and his players was clear.

BBC

And, in the name of this new toy, both children and ideas of different provenance are dragged together and all are invited to exclaim: 'See, we're all alike!' All right, but: anyone who ever tried to make a match between two folks who are perfect for each other knows the immediate and shocking rejection such efforts reap.

The Guardian - Sport

It's a pattern that stretches in my life from toytown feds to hacks at the Guardian … Usually it ends with these people enumerating one's personal faults, a shocking, ungrateful, unmanly effort, to be filed under despicable in my book … I've been meeting [these people] all my life".

The Guardian - Books

"I don't have the answer for it, but it's shocking... her effort has been good, she's playing well.

Los Angeles Times

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen represents a shocking amount of effort and skill going into a product of little entertainment value and even less significance.

Huffington Post

But almost equally shocking are the alleged efforts to fire his critics at the Tribune and to withhold money from a children's hospital unless its executive contributed to his campaign.

The Economist

"It's shocking, the lack of effort we see in some essays," he says.

The New York Times

What came next — twelve distinct series of works, arrayed chronologically in the show — was inventive enough, but to find it shocking today requires an effort of imagination.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "shocking efforts" with strong verbs to emphasize the impact of the actions being described. For example, "shocking efforts to conceal" or "shocking efforts to manipulate".

Common error

Avoid using "shocking efforts" when the situation is merely surprising or unexpected, not genuinely appalling. Overusing the phrase can diminish its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shocking efforts" functions as a noun phrase modified by an adjective. The adjective "shocking" intensifies the noun "efforts", indicating that the attempts are surprisingly negative or appalling. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shocking efforts" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe attempts that are surprisingly negative or appalling. Ludwig AI confirms that it is valid in written English. While relatively rare in overall usage, it appears predominantly in news and media contexts to express strong disapproval. Related phrases like "appalling attempts" and "outrageous endeavors" can provide alternative ways to convey a similar sentiment. When using this phrase, it is important to ensure the context warrants the strong negative connotation and avoid overuse to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appalling attempts

Replaces "shocking" with "appalling", emphasizing the repulsive nature of the efforts.

outrageous endeavors

Substitutes both words, highlighting the offensive nature of the actions.

scandalous attempts

Focuses on the disgraceful aspect of the efforts.

egregious endeavors

Replaces "shocking" with "egregious", emphasizing the offensiveness of the efforts.

astonishing attempts

Focuses on the surprising and potentially negative aspect of the efforts.

unbelievable attempts

Highlights the difficulty in accepting the efforts as real or possible.

horrifying endeavors

Emphasizes the terrifying or dreadful nature of the efforts.

disgraceful attempts

Focuses on the shameful aspect of the actions taken.

reprehensible endeavors

Highlights the blameworthy nature of the efforts.

disturbing actions

Shifts from "efforts" to "actions", focusing on the unsettling nature of what was done.

FAQs

How can I use "shocking efforts" in a sentence?

You can use "shocking efforts" to describe attempts that are surprisingly bad or disturbing, as in "The company made "shocking efforts" to cover up the scandal".

What phrases are similar to "shocking efforts"?

Similar phrases include "appalling attempts", "outrageous endeavors", and "scandalous attempts", all of which convey a sense of dismay and disbelief.

When is it appropriate to use "shocking efforts"?

"Shocking efforts" is appropriate when the attempts are not only surprising but also deeply disturbing or morally questionable. If the action is merely unexpected, a less emotive phrase might be more suitable.

What is the difference between "shocking efforts" and "surprising efforts"?

"Shocking efforts" implies a strong negative judgment about the nature and quality of the attempts, suggesting they are appalling or outrageous. "Surprising efforts", on the other hand, simply indicates that the attempts were unexpected, without necessarily implying a negative evaluation.