the single drawback

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the single drawback" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to highlight one specific disadvantage or negative aspect of something being discussed. Example: "The single drawback of this new software is its high cost compared to other options on the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Sculpt does have a single drawback: It doesn't have the key action that I am accustomed to.

TechCrunch

The single key drawback to open source reported by 60percentt of respondents was the confusion created by open source licenses.

TechCrunch

By far the best we tested, this was invented by Daewoo car engineers and has a single drawback: it's ugly.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Shadows has a single drawback: they absolutely require an IE or firefox toolbar installation in order to bookmark pages on the fly.

TechCrunch

Unfortunately, he dismisses what, from the standpoint of reducing total health-care expenditures, is the single most serious drawback to such an approach; namely, the probability that effectively case-managed patients will survive longer than they would without intensive ambulatory care and will thereby offset their reduced frequency of hospitalization with an increase in their time at risk.

The New Yorker

The single most serious drawback to farming additional land is lack of water.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Despite these drawbacks, the single colony assay that we have developed, which relies on capillary electrophoresis and GeneMapper analysis of the major product amplified in a PCR reaction, is quantitative and reliable.

Genetics

Multiple shooting method The drawback of the single shooting method is the sensitivity of the Cauchy problem to the initial condition z 0. The multiple shooting aims at a better numerical stability by dividing the interval [0,t f ] into N subintervals [t i,t i+1] and considering as unknowns the values of z i =(x(t i ),p(t i )) at the beginning of each subinterval.

Pacific Journal of Mathematics for Industry

A drawback with the single particle technique is that the nanomachines may undergo changes during isolation, such as loss of labile components, or certain conformational states may be favored.

Histochemistry and Cell Biology

This is an evolutionary type of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) that arose from the need for updating classic methodology in order to overcome its drawbacks, concerning the single calculation rule, stability and real time problems and expand its use in a variety of applications.

IFAC-PapersOnLine

Due to these significant drawbacks of the single layer potential ansatz, we will consider the Steklov-Poincaré operator formulations only.

Journal of Mathematics in Industry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the single drawback", ensure you clearly articulate what the drawback is and why it matters in the context. Be specific to maximize clarity.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the impact of "the single drawback". Ensure it genuinely represents the most significant negative aspect, not just a minor inconvenience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the single drawback" functions as a noun phrase that identifies and emphasizes a specific disadvantage. It acts as a subject complement or an object in a sentence, pinpointing the key negative aspect under consideration. Ludwig confirms its validity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the single drawback" is a grammatically sound phrase used to pinpoint a specific, key disadvantage. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness. It is most commonly found in scientific and news-related contexts, signaling its utility in analytical discussions. While several alternatives exist, such as "the main disadvantage" or "the primary downside", the choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey. When employing this phrase, ensure the identified drawback is genuinely significant and clearly articulated to maintain precision and avoid overstatement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the main disadvantage

Emphasizes the primary negative aspect, similar to "the single drawback".

the primary downside

Highlights the major negative consequence or aspect.

the only con

Uses a more informal term (con) to indicate the sole negative point.

the key limitation

Focuses on the most important restriction or constraint.

the chief weakness

Points out the principal area of deficiency.

the major flaw

Highlights a significant defect or fault.

the principal shortcoming

Identifies the main inadequacy or failing.

the outstanding snag

Uses 'snag' to describe an obstacle or problem, making it a more colloquial alternative.

the one hitch

Indicates the only difficulty or problem.

the solitary disadvantage

Stresses that there is only one disadvantage.

FAQs

How can I use "the single drawback" in a sentence?

Use "the single drawback" to highlight the main disadvantage of something. For example: "The single drawback of this plan is its high initial cost."

What's a good alternative to "the single drawback"?

Alternatives include "the main disadvantage", "the primary downside", or "the only con".

Is it correct to say "the single drawback"?

Yes, "the single drawback" is a correct and usable phrase in English. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability.

What is the difference between "the single drawback" and "the main drawback"?

While similar, "the single drawback" emphasizes that there is only one notable disadvantage, while "the main drawback" simply highlights the most significant disadvantage among potentially several.