shocking miscarriage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shocking miscarriage" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation where there is a sudden and unexpected failure or loss, often with emotional or ethical implications. For example, "The shocking miscarriage of justice left the community in disbelief." Alternative expressions include "stunning failure" and "appalling error."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Two high court judges ruled today that the justice secretary, Jack Straw, has the power to pardon a Liverpool supporter whose conviction in Bulgaria over a killing has been called the "most shocking miscarriage of justice in recent times".

The Guardian

Shields, now 22, was found guilty in 2005 of attacking a barman at the Big Ben diner in Varna, Bulgaria, in what has been called the "most shocking miscarriage of justice in recent times".

The Guardian

Khan makes no mention of the damning, irrefutable evidence that Gareth Peirce, Britain's leading human rights lawyer, presented to the Australian government, warning that the US deliberately "synchronised" its extradition demands with pending cases, and that Assange faced a shocking miscarriage of justice and danger.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

ANSWER: Having a miscarriage can be shocking, stressful and sad.

Huffington Post

Shocking moment to shocking moment.

Independent

One "study" produced late last year generated a number of shocking headlines for its claim that women who come into contact with plastic products increased their risk of miscarriage.

Huffington Post

The miscarriage.

The New York Times

Miscarriage trauma?

The New York Times

Another miscarriage.

The Guardian

But shocking?

The New York Times

Yeah, shocking.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase sparingly to maintain its emotional weight; overusing the adjective "shocking" can lead to hyperbole in professional or academic writing.

Common error

Do not use "shocking miscarriage" as a standalone phrase without a qualifier if the context could be confused between a medical emergency and a legal failure. In medical reporting, prioritize terms like "sudden" or "devastating miscarriage" to center the patient's experience rather than the sensationalism.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shocking miscarriage" functions as a descriptive noun phrase. In many cases found on Ludwig, it acts as a modifier within the larger idiomatic expression "miscarriage of justice", where the adjective "shocking" serves to intensify the indignation regarding a legal failure. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically standard and follows the typical adjective-noun structure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Social Media

3%

Science

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shocking miscarriage" is a powerful linguistic tool used to describe high-stakes failures. Based on data from Ludwig, it is most frequently encountered in quality journalism to highlight an "appalling miscarriage of justice". While the phrase is grammatically perfect, Ludwig AI suggests that it carries significant emotional weight, making it highly effective for advocacy and reporting. Writers should be mindful of the context—whether legal or medical—to ensure that the intended meaning is clear and that the intensity of the adjective "shocking" matches the gravity of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appalling miscarriage of justice

Adds a stronger level of moral indignation specifically for legal contexts.

stunning miscarriage

Focuses on the element of surprise rather than just the shock value.

devastating miscarriage

Emphasizes the emotional impact and trauma, especially in a medical context.

horrific miscarriage

Used for particularly gruesome or tragic circumstances.

shocking error

A more general term that removes the specific legal or medical weight.

profound injustice

Focuses on the lack of fairness rather than the procedural failure.

appalling failure

Broadens the scope to any type of significant breakdown.

tragic loss

Commonly used as a softer alternative for medical miscarriages.

gross miscarriage of justice

A standard legal term for severe procedural errors.

unforeseen miscarriage

Focuses on the unexpected nature of the event.

FAQs

How to use shocking miscarriage in a sentence?

You can use it to highlight an extreme failure of the law, such as "The lawyer described the verdict as a "shocking miscarriage" of justice". Alternatively, in a health context, you might say "Hearing the news of her "shocking miscarriage" left the family distraught".

What can I say instead of shocking miscarriage?

You can use alternatives like "appalling miscarriage", "stunning failure" or "profound injustice" depending on the context.

Which is correct, shocking miscarriage or shocking miscarriage of justice?

Both are correct, but they serve different purposes. Use "shocking miscarriage of justice" specifically for legal errors, while "shocking miscarriage" alone can refer to a medical event or act as a shorthand in an established legal discussion.

What's the difference between shocking miscarriage and an appalling error?

The phrase "shocking miscarriage" usually implies a total failure of a process (like a trial or a pregnancy), whereas an "appalling error" suggests a specific mistake made by an individual or system that led to a bad outcome.