would be a great error

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would be a great error" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a particular action or decision would lead to a significant mistake or negative outcome. Example: "To ignore the warning signs would be a great error that could jeopardize the entire project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

That would be a great error.

The Guardian - Opinion

It would be a great error for a new British government to get into this position".

The Guardian

"Politically it would be a great error for them to act.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Turning away Turkey from the EU would be a great, long-term – a century-long – error by Europe".

The Guardian

I certainly agree that verifying my estimates would be a great thing to do (particularly the aggregate error rate, not just the individual factors, as you point out).

F1000Research

This would be a great pity.

The New York Times

This would be a great achievement".

Independent

That would be a great experience".

The New York Times - Sports

It would be a great adventure.

The New York Times

That would be a great injustice.

The New York Times

It would be a great relief.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "would be a great error" to clearly indicate that a specific action or decision carries a high risk of failure or negative consequences. It's suitable when you want to express a strong sense of caution or disapproval.

Common error

Avoid using "would be a great error" for minor inconveniences. Reserve it for situations where the potential negative outcome is genuinely significant. Misusing it can dilute its impact and make your communication sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would be a great error" functions as a judgmental comment within a sentence. It typically follows a clause describing a potential action or decision and asserts that such an action would constitute a significant mistake. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "would be a great error" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, as indicated by Ludwig. It serves to strongly caution against a potentially harmful action or decision. While relatively rare in overall usage, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. Alternatives include ""would be a serious mistake"" and ""would be a grave mistake"", each offering subtle variations in emphasis. The phrase carries a neutral to formal tone, suitable for serious discussions. Reserve it for situations with genuinely significant potential consequences to avoid diluting its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would be a serious mistake

This alternative replaces "great error" with "serious mistake", emphasizing the severity of the error.

would be a grave mistake

Using "grave mistake" instead of "great error" intensifies the potential consequences.

would be a huge blunder

This alternative uses "huge blunder", which suggests a clumsy or careless mistake.

would be a critical error

Replacing "great" with "critical" highlights the importance of avoiding the error.

would be a major error

This alternative uses "major error", indicating a significant mistake.

would be a costly mistake

Changing "great error" to "costly mistake" focuses on the potential negative repercussions of the error.

would be an enormous error

The use of "enormous error" emphasizes the scale of the potential mistake.

would be a significant error

This alternative uses "significant error", pointing out the importance of the error's impact.

would be an oversight

Switching to "oversight" implies a careless failure to notice or consider something.

would be an imprudence

This is a more formal and sophisticated way of saying it would be unwise, replacing "great error" with "imprudence".

FAQs

How can I use "would be a great error" in a sentence?

You can use "would be a great error" to express that a particular action or decision would result in a significant mistake. For example, "To ignore the warning signs "would be a great error" that could jeopardize the entire project."

What can I say instead of "would be a great error"?

Alternatives include "would be a serious mistake", "would be a grave mistake", or "would be a huge blunder", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "would be a big mistake" or "would be a great error"?

Both "would be a big mistake" and "would be a great error" are acceptable, but "would be a great error" often implies a more profound or far-reaching consequence. "Big mistake" is more general and can apply to less significant errors.

What is the difference between "would be a great error" and "would be a critical error"?

"Would be a great error" emphasizes the magnitude or extent of the error, while "would be a critical error" suggests that the error would have severe and potentially irreversible consequences. A critical error has a greater impact on the overall outcome.