The collocation "profound impact" refers to a significant, deep, and far-reaching effect or influence. It suggests that something has caused a substantial change or has had a major effect on someone or something.
The meaning is compositional, as both "profound" and "impact" retain their individual meanings and contribute to the overall meaning of the phrase. However, the combination is a common and recognized collocation.
The register is neutral to formal. It is appropriate for academic writing, news reports, professional communication, and general conversation when describing a significant effect.
The grammatical pattern is adjective + noun, specifically "profound" (adjective) + "impact" (noun).
Typical verbs used with "profound impact" include "have," "make," "leave," and "exert." Prepositions that often follow are "on" and "upon," indicating what is being affected. For example: "have a profound impact on [something/someone]."
The components of this collocation should not be separated by other words (except for articles like 'a' or 'the').
It sounds unnatural to use weaker adjectives (e.g., "slight impact"), incorrect prepositions (e.g., "profound impact at"), or verbs that don't typically convey influence (e.g., "profound impact happened").
These examples are sourced from profound impact on Ludwig.guru.
"It had a profound impact." — The Washington Post
"Howard had a profound impact on me." — The Guardian - Opinion
"These imports also had a profound impact." — The Guardian
"My time in Canada had a profound impact on me." — The Guardian
"The discovery has had a profound impact on modern medicine." — The New Yorker
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/profound+impact
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| significant effect | A more general and slightly less intense alternative. |
| major influence | Focuses on the power to shape or affect something. |
| far-reaching consequences | Emphasizes the long-term and widespread results. |
| substantial impact | Similar in meaning, but might imply a more quantifiable effect. |
| deep effect | Conveys a sense of emotional or psychological impact. |
| powerful influence | Stresses the strength and potency of the influence. |
| considerable impact | Indicates a noticeable and worthy impact. |
A common mistake is using a weaker or less appropriate adjective, like 'big' or 'large', which doesn't convey the same intensity as 'profound'. It's also incorrect to separate "profound" and "impact" with unnecessary words. Using the wrong preposition, such as "profound impact at" instead of "profound impact on," is another common error.
| Expression | Meaning | Grammatical Pattern | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| profound impact | A significant, deep, and far-reaching effect or influence. | Adjective + Noun | Neutral to Formal |
No, the words "profound" and "impact" should not be separated by other words (except for articles like 'a' or 'the'). It's a fixed collocation where the adjective directly modifies the noun to create a specific meaning. Separating them disrupts the intended meaning and sounds unnatural.
While both phrases indicate a notable effect, "profound impact" suggests a deeper, more fundamental, and lasting change than "significant impact." "Significant" implies importance, while "profound" emphasizes the depth and extent of the influence.
Using "big impact" is not necessarily grammatically incorrect, but it lacks the nuance and intensity of "profound impact." "Profound" conveys a sense of depth, insight, and lasting significance that "big" simply cannot capture. A common mistake is using a weaker or less appropriate adjective, like 'big' or 'large', which doesn't convey the same intensity as 'profound'.
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