"a force to be reckoned with"

[learning101]

Hi all,
I am not very sure about the use of the above phrase. I couldn't find any sentences that have similar contexts as mine. Thus, I wondered if I can use it in this sentence "Obesity is a force to be reckoned with" as "Obesity is an issue that has to be taken seriously."

 

[Tarheel]

That would be, I think, an entirely new usage for that phrase.

 

[tedmc]

Hi all,
I am not very sure about the use of the above phrase. I couldn't find any sentences that have similar contexts as mine. Thus, I wondered if I can use it in this sentence "Obesity is a force to be reckoned with" as "Obesity is an issue that has to be taken seriously."

No, the phrase is used with people or organizations, not "obesity". Have you checked its meaning?

 

[learning101]

No, the phrase is used with people or organizations, not "obesity". Have you checked its meaning?

Yes I did. It says something so powerful that has to be regarded seriously. So I though obesity as something that wields so much power on your health that one should regard it seriously. I guess I can't use that phrase to address an issue or a problem, can I? Is there an idiomatic expression which means to "regard something seriously"? No offence but I probably would appreciate answers from native speakers. Thank you once again.

 

[jutfrank]

If you really want your listeners to try to think of obesity as a force, then you can use the phrase, yes. However, be aware that most people wouldn't naturally consider it as such. Medically, it's thought of as a disease.

If you just mean that it 'should be taken seriously', then say that.

 

[learning101]

If you really want your listeners to try to think of obesity as a force, then you can use the phrase, yes. However, be aware that most people wouldn't naturally consider it as such. Medically, it's thought of as a disease.

If you just mean that it 'should be taken seriously', then say that.

Will the sentence still be correct if I replace force with epidemic? As in ‘obesity is an epidemic to be reckoned with’?

 

[emsr2d2]

Will the sentence still be correct if I replace "force" with "epidemic", as in ‘obesity is an epidemic to be reckoned with’?

You could but it might sound as if you'd tried to use "force to be reckoned with" but mixed up the words.