very high cost

USAGE SUMMARY

"very high cost" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to emphasize the magnitude of a cost. For example, "The new housing development has a very high cost associated with it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Their protest has a very high cost.

The Guardian - Opinion

The main challenge is the unavailability and very high cost of land.

The Guardian

In the long run, however, it failed abysmally — and at a very high cost.

The New York Times

Iran needs to understand that its nuclear ambition comes with a very high cost.

The New York Times

The conviction of Baathist war criminals will come at a very high cost, perhaps one too high to be effective.

The New York Times

"You can't enter this with a very high cost base, we've all learnt from the follies of the past.

The Guardian

They will have to make moral choices, for example, on the distribution of very high cost medical interventions.

The New York Times

Everything needed to develop these finds, including highly skilled people, will need to be imported at very high cost.

The New York Times

The Law Society is urging the government to find savings elsewhere in the criminal justice system, such as in very high cost cases.

The Guardian

"Our enemies should never doubt our determination to accomplish this mission, because we know the very high cost of failure," he said.

The New York Times

"It could lead to major destabilisation of societies and also political destabilisation," said Piot. "It is going to come at a very high cost.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "very high cost", be specific about what is contributing to the high cost, providing context for better understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "very high cost" as a vague statement. Always provide context or examples to illustrate why the cost is considered high, such as comparing it to alternatives or outlining the factors that contribute to it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very high cost" functions as a noun phrase that typically serves as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used. It emphasizes the substantial financial burden associated with something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

27%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "very high cost" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to emphasize the significant financial burden associated with something. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. The linguistic analysis shows that the phrase functions primarily as a noun phrase, serving to underscore the importance or severity of an expense. When using "very high cost", it is beneficial to provide specific examples or context to justify the assertion and avoid overgeneralization. Consider alternatives like "prohibitively expensive" or "excessively costly" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prohibitively expensive

Emphasizes that the cost is so high it prevents purchase or action.

excessively costly

Highlights the cost as being beyond what is reasonable or acceptable.

extremely pricey

An informal way to describe something as very expensive.

exorbitant expense

Indicates the expense is much higher than it should be.

astronomical price

Suggests the price is extremely high, like the vastness of space.

substantial financial burden

Focuses on the impact of the cost as a heavy load.

significant expenditure

Emphasizes the amount of money that needs to be spent.

considerable outlay

Highlights a significant amount of money being spent.

premium investment

Implies that the high cost is associated with a high-value item or service.

heavy toll

This refers to a substantial negative impact or burden, not necessarily monetary, but could be.

FAQs

How can I use "very high cost" in a sentence?

You can use "very high cost" to describe expenses that are significantly above average or considered unreasonable. For example, "The project was abandoned due to the "very high cost" of materials".

What are some alternatives to "very high cost"?

Alternatives include "prohibitively expensive", "excessively costly", or "astronomical price", depending on the context.

Is it more effective to say "very high cost" or "high cost"?

"Very high cost" emphasizes the magnitude of the cost more strongly than simply "high cost". The choice depends on the level of emphasis you want to convey.

In what situations is it appropriate to use the phrase "very high cost"?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize that something is significantly more expensive than expected or that the cost is a major obstacle. Always provide context to justify the use of such a strong phrase.