adversely affect

Meaning

To have a negative, harmful, or unfavorable impact on something. This phrase is commonly used in formal business reports, contracts, and corporate communications to describe how external factors, policy changes, or market shifts might damage performance or outcomes.

Examples

• The supply chain disruptions will adversely affect our Q4 production targets.

  The supply chain disruptions will adversely affect our Q4 production targets.

• We must ensure that the budget cuts do not adversely affect employee morale.

  We must ensure that the budget cuts do not adversely affect employee morale.

• New regulatory compliance laws could adversely affect our profit margins next year.

  New regulatory compliance laws could adversely affect our profit margins next year.

• The merger is expected to streamline operations without adversely affecting customer service.

  The merger is expected to streamline operations without adversely affecting customer service.

• Failure to secure the patent could adversely affect the company's long-term growth.

  Failure to secure the patent could adversely affect the company's long-term growth.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The new policy will adversely effect our sales.

  ✓ The new policy will adversely affect our sales.

  'Effect' is usually a noun, whereas 'affect' is the verb meaning to influence or change. Use the 'a' spelling for the action.

• ✗ The weather adversely affected to our shipping schedule.

  ✓ The weather adversely affected our shipping schedule.

  'Affect' is a transitive verb and directly takes an object. Do not use the preposition 'to' after it.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Rising material costs will ___ our profit margins if we don't adjust our pricing.

  💡 harmfully influence

  Show answer

  adversely affect

• Management is confident that the restructuring will not ___ customer relations.

  💡 negatively impact

  Show answer

  adversely affect