undue overhead

USAGE SUMMARY

"undue overhead" is a correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It means an excessive or unnecessary amount of work or difficulty. Example: The new software came with an undue overhead, causing frustration for the employees who had to learn how to use it.

✓ Grammatically correct

Bioinformatics

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Furthermore, given the rate with which NGS sequence data are currently being produced (Mardis, 2008), the additional burden of sequence preprocessing must be kept relatively modest so as to avoid adding undue overhead to the bioinformatics pipeline.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

When she finally made her entrance as the beloved princess, a teenaged creature who had yet to ever see a cloud overhead, it was with undue solemnity, not as a carefree spirit exuding fragile preciousness.

Huffington Post

Undue influence?

The Economist

And "undue influence".

The New York Times - Books

What's an "undue burden"?

The New Yorker

"Does he have undue influence?

The New York Times

"Undue" and "burden".

The Guardian - Opinion

There are undue influences.

The New York Times - Sports

hovered overhead.

The New York Times - Tech

High overhead,.

The New Yorker

stretch overhead.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "undue overhead", ensure you clearly define what specific burdens or costs are considered excessive or unnecessary. This provides context and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "undue overhead" without specifying which aspects of the overhead are problematic. Vague statements weaken your argument. Instead, identify particular processes, expenses, or efforts contributing to the "undue overhead".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "undue overhead" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in referring to excessive burdens. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Undue overhead" is a noun phrase used to describe excessive or unnecessary burdens, particularly in areas like administration or costs. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound. While only a few examples exist, they demonstrate its usage across diverse contexts, including bioinformatics and news media. When employing this phrase, ensure you clearly define the specific overhead to avoid vagueness and strengthen your argument. Related phrases such as "excessive burden" or "unnecessary expense" can offer alternative ways to express this concept. The phrase generally maintains a neutral to professional register, suitable for formal discussions and reports.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessive burden

This alternative directly replaces "overhead" with "burden" while retaining the meaning of something being too heavy or difficult to manage.

unnecessary burden

This phrase uses "unnecessary" instead of "undue", emphasizing that the burden is not required or justified.

excessive cost

This phrase focuses on the financial aspect of "overhead", highlighting the excessive expense involved.

unnecessary expense

Similar to "excessive cost", this emphasizes that the expense is not needed or justified.

unjustified burden

This highlights that the burden lacks a valid reason or justification.

unreasonable cost

This suggests the cost is beyond what is fair or sensible.

unreasonable burden

This phrase implies the burden is excessive and not within reasonable limits.

undue strain

This alternative emphasizes the stress or pressure caused by the overhead.

excessive strain

This alternative combines "excessive" with "strain", highlighting the overwhelming stress involved.

unwarranted overhead

Similar to "unjustified burden", this highlights that the overhead is not deserved or necessary.

FAQs

How can I use "undue overhead" in a sentence?

You can use "undue overhead" to describe excessive or unnecessary burdens in various contexts. For example, "The new regulations created an "undue overhead" for small businesses" or "The project suffered from "undue overhead" due to excessive bureaucracy."

What are some alternatives to "undue overhead"?

Some alternatives to "undue overhead" include "excessive burden", "unnecessary expense", or "unjustified burden" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "undue overhead"?

It's appropriate to use "undue overhead" when you want to emphasize that a particular burden, cost, or effort is excessive and unjustified. It's often used in discussions about efficiency, regulation, and resource allocation.

Is "undue burden" similar in meaning to "undue overhead"?

While both phrases involve something excessive or unwarranted, "undue burden" generally refers to a hardship or difficulty, whereas "undue overhead" specifically relates to excessive indirect costs or administrative burdens. So, they aren't perfectly interchangeable, but can be related depending on the context.