perniciousness
perniciousness — noun
1. the quality of causing serious and lasting damage to someone or something, espec
the quality of causing serious and lasting damage to someone or something, especially in a gradual way that is not immediately obvious
The perniciousness of fake news became clear after the election results surprised everyone.
pattern: the perniciousness of [abstract issue]
No one understood the perniciousness of the factory smoke until years had passed.
Jiwoo wrote a report on the perniciousness of plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean.
The perniciousness of the housing law was clear to families who suffered under it.
Scientists gradually uncovered the perniciousness of the chemical in everyday products.
- harmfulness
more general and less formal; does not imply gradual or hidden damage
- destructiveness
focuses on physical or structural damage rather than subtle, long-term effects
- deadliness
stronger, specifically suggesting the potential to cause death
- harmlessness
the quality of causing no damage or risk
- safety
freedom from danger or risk, broader in scope
文法句型
the perniciousness of [something]
用法筆記
Commonly used in formal or academic writing about social issues, health risks, or environmental problems. The word emphasises harm that is subtle, slow-acting, or hard to detect at first.