substantial error

USAGE SUMMARY

"substantial error" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a mistake or oversight that has considerable consequences, for example, "The company made a substantial error in its financial projections, and it is now in danger of bankruptcy."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The election would not be over, but we might be at the point where Mr. Obama would have to make a substantial error in order to lose.

The New York Times

The trial judge, Sir Cecil Havers, fell into "substantial error" in withdrawing that defence, as a matter of law, from the jury, which took just 15 minutes to convict Ellis of murder.

The Guardian

If the Advertisement as reproduced by GNM contains a substantial error solely due to a mistake on GNM's part, GNM shall, on request, re-publish the Advertisement at no additional cost to the Advertiser.

The Guardian

Beside the blunder of rubbing it in the face of your best friend and ally, there lies a much more substantial error: By expanding settlements instead of separating from the Palestinians while we still can, we Israelis are dooming ourselves to lose the Jewish and democratic state that has been won with so much sacrifice.

The New York Times

Intravenous ascorbic acid may result in substantial error in glucometer readings [4, 5].

EJNMMI Research

In such case, substantial error of height estimation will be caused.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

This offset is negligible for older samples, but a substantial error in these younger ages.

Quaternary Geochronology

Lens distortion causes substantial error in edges of the recorded area, particularly in some wide-angle cameras.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Extension of this principle with an additional iterative feedback loop to the demapping function has proven to provide substantial error performance gain at the cost of increased complexity.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Assuming constant ρg can result in substantial error in estimates of MOE using acoustic instruments particularly when predictions are made at the log level.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

The use of a degradation factor in the optimized correlation for R-407C allows for substantial error reduction for refrigerant blends.

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about errors, specify the type of error (e.g., "calculation error", "coding error") alongside the phrase "substantial error" to provide more context and clarity to your reader.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the consequences of a "substantial error". While it signifies a significant mistake, ensure that your description of its impact is proportionate to the actual ramifications.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial error" functions as a noun phrase, where "substantial" modifies the noun "error". Ludwig AI suggests that it is a valid and usable English phrase. Its primary function is to denote a significant mistake or inaccuracy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantial error" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that denotes a significant mistake or inaccuracy. According to Ludwig, the phrase is used across various contexts, including science, news, and formal business settings. The analysis shows that it is considered to be a correct and usable phrase in written English. When using "substantial error", it's important to specify the type of error for clarity and avoid exaggerating its impact. Alternatives include "significant mistake", "major blunder", and "critical inaccuracy".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sizable error

This alternative replaces "substantial" with "sizable", emphasizing the considerable size or extent of the error.

significant mistake

This alternative uses "mistake" instead of "error", offering a more general term for an incorrect action or judgment, and "significant" instead of "substantial" to denote the importance of the mistake.

major blunder

This alternative uses "blunder" to suggest a more egregious or careless error, amplifying the negative connotation and "major" instead of "substantial".

critical inaccuracy

This alternative focuses on the lack of precision or correctness, highlighting the severity of the error's impact and using "critical" instead of "substantial".

grave mistake

The word "grave" emphasizes the serious consequences of the mistake, denoting a severe or critical error.

serious fault

This phrase uses "fault" to denote a defect or imperfection, pointing out the severity of the error.

considerable oversight

This emphasizes the neglectful aspect of the error, suggesting something important was missed or ignored, also the "considerable" aspect.

material error

The adjective "material" stresses the relevance or importance of the error, especially in a legal or financial context.

egregious inaccuracy

This alternative uses "egregious" to highlight how conspicuously bad the inaccuracy is.

large error

This focuses on the magnitude of the error, denoting its great size or extent.

FAQs

How can I use "substantial error" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial error" to describe a significant mistake or inaccuracy, for example: "The audit revealed a "substantial error" in the financial statements."

What are some alternatives to "substantial error"?

Alternatives include "significant mistake", "major blunder", or "critical inaccuracy". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "substantial error" or "significant error"?

Both "substantial error" and "significant error" are correct and largely interchangeable. "Substantial" emphasizes the size or amount of the error, while "significant" emphasizes its importance or consequence.

What's the difference between "error" and "mistake" when describing a "substantial" problem?

"Error" typically refers to an unintentional deviation from accuracy or correctness, while "mistake" often implies a poor judgment or wrong action. Therefore, a "substantial error" might be a numerical inaccuracy, and a "substantial mistake" might be a strategic misjudgment.