slight harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slight harm" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a minimal or minor level of damage or injury caused to someone or something. Example: "The experiment resulted in slight harm to the test subjects, but overall, the findings were promising."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The argument that the slight harm to the sellers is more than offset by the lifesaving potential on the other end of the transaction is also troubling to Scheper-Hughes.

The New York Times - Magazine

Re "Putting Money on Lawsuits, Investors Share in the Payouts" ("Betting on Justice" series, front page, Nov. 15): Some critics of litigation finance claim that investors will stir up lawsuits among average citizens who would otherwise not be interested in suing for some slight harm.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

5 6 A recently published trial of amoxicillin for acute uncomplicated LRTI in primary care concluded that amoxicillin provides little clinical benefit and causes slight harms.

BMJ Open

24 The slight benefits gained from taking amoxicillin in adults consulting to primary care with acute uncomplicated LRTI must be balanced against the slight harms that amoxicillin causes in terms of side effects, as well as the associated contribution to antibiotic resistance.

BMJ Open

GCF samples were gently collected, and extreme care was taken not to cause any slightest harm or injury during the sample collection.

Progress in Orthodontics

The woman I diligently tried to protect from slightest harm, day in and day out.

Huffington Post

Or do we trust that the corporations that negotiated these rules have our interests at heart, and would never, in the slightest, harm our democracy?

Huffington Post

The person Romney was playing loves Medicare and Social Security; far be it from him even to think of doing the slightest harm to an elderly or poor person; he will protect people with pre-existing conditions; he is "all in favor of green energy"; he wants tens of thousands of new teachers; he is "not going to cut education funding"; he's against those greedy New York banks.

Huffington Post

"And suppose," Mirza Saleh writes with pardonable hyperbole, "that the whole army were to come down on his head, they cannot oblige him to give it up … the prince himself cannot inflict the slightest financial or physical harm on him".

The Guardian

The problem of dealing with risk in rights-based moral theories was formulated by Robert Nozick: "Imposing how slight a probability of a harm that violates someone's rights also violates his rights?" (Nozick 1974, 7).

SEP

Also, we are well positioned to take care of our loved ones: our efforts are more likely to be efficacious than if we were to attempt to benefit persons distant from us whom we do not know and people often experience greater emotional harm when they are slighted by their intimates than when they are slighted by strangers.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the impact of an action or event, use "slight harm" to indicate a minimal negative consequence, ensuring you provide context to show the limited scope of the damage.

Common error

Avoid using "slight harm" when the actual damage or injury is significant. Always ensure the phrase accurately reflects the degree of negativity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slight harm" functions as a noun phrase, where "slight" modifies the noun "harm". This phrase describes a minimal or minor level of damage or injury. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "slight harm" is a useful expression for describing minimal negative consequences. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and provides examples from news and scientific sources. While less common than other phrases with similar meanings, "slight harm" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts when accurately reflecting the degree of damage or injury. Alternatives such as "minor damage" or "minimal injury" can be used depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minor damage

Focuses on the physical impact being minimal.

minimal injury

Emphasizes the injury aspect with a focus on it being minimal.

small detriment

Highlights the negative impact or disadvantage being small.

negligible damage

Indicates the damage is so small it's almost not worth considering.

marginal impairment

Suggests a very small reduction in quality or function.

trivial injury

Indicates the injury is of little consequence.

inconsequential harm

Highlights that the harm is not important or significant.

light damage

Emphasizes the damage is not severe.

minimal adverse effect

Focuses on the negative effect being very small.

moderate inconvenience

Highlights the resulting issues are not major.

FAQs

How can I use "slight harm" in a sentence?

You can use "slight harm" to describe a minimal level of damage or injury. For instance, "The new policy caused "slight harm" to employee morale but improved overall productivity."

What are some alternatives to "slight harm"?

Alternatives include "minor damage", "minimal injury", or "small detriment", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "slight harm" in formal writing?

Yes, "slight harm" is appropriate for formal writing as it accurately describes a minor negative impact. However, consider the audience and choose the most precise term for the situation.

What's the difference between "slight harm" and "serious harm"?

"Slight harm" indicates a minimal negative impact, while "serious harm" implies significant and potentially lasting damage or injury. The choice depends on the actual degree of impact.