Needless to say

USAGE SUMMARY

'needless to say' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to emphasize that something should be obvious or is already known. For example, "We had a great time at the party last night. Needless to say, it was a success!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Needless to say, Norwegians disagree.

The Economist

Needless to say, he failed.

The New York Times

Needless to say, recipes abound.

The New Yorker

Needless to say, I did.

The New York Times

Needless to say, they weren't.

The New Yorker

Needless to say, it wasn't.

The New Yorker

Needless to say, these demands were ignored.

The Economist

"Needless to say, we were bankrupt".

The New York Times

Needless to say, he gets his chance.

The New York Times

Needless to say, this is all wrong.

The New York Times

Needless to say, she has issues.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "needless to say" sparingly to avoid redundancy. Overuse can weaken your writing and make it seem condescending.

Common error

Avoid using "needless to say" when the point is not actually obvious or when it comes across as patronizing. Ensure the statement truly needs no further explanation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "needless to say" functions as a discourse marker, specifically an adverbial phrase, used to signal that the speaker or writer believes the following statement is self-evident or easily inferred. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "needless to say" is a versatile adverbial phrase used to introduce statements that are considered obvious or easily inferred. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. While very common, it should be used judiciously to avoid redundancy or a condescending tone. Alternatives such as ""obviously"" or ""it goes without saying"" can be employed for variety. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, the phrase maintains a neutral to slightly formal register and serves to emphasize and reinforce preceding points.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it goes without saying

Emphasizes the obviousness of a statement, similar to "needless to say".

obviously

Directly states that something is easily perceived or understood.

clearly

Highlights the ease of understanding or perceiving something.

of course

Indicates that something is naturally or logically expected.

it should be noted

Draws attention to something important that should be remembered.

as you might expect

Suggests that something is predictable based on the circumstances.

it stands to reason

Indicates that something is a logical conclusion.

it's a given

Indicates that something is assumed or accepted as true.

it's understood

Implies that something is mutually agreed upon or known.

self-evidently

Emphasizes that something is obvious without needing proof or explanation.

FAQs

How can I use "needless to say" in a sentence?

"Needless to say" is typically used to introduce a statement that is obvious or easily inferred from the context. For example, "The weather was terrible; "needless to say", the picnic was cancelled."

What are some alternatives to "needless to say"?

You can use alternatives like "obviously", "clearly", or "it goes without saying" depending on the context.

Is it ever incorrect to use "needless to say"?

It can be incorrect if the statement following ""needless to say"" isn't actually obvious or if the phrase is overused, making the writing sound redundant or condescending.

What's the difference between "needless to say" and "it goes without saying"?

Both phrases are very similar in meaning and usage. "It goes without saying" emphasizes that something is so obvious it doesn't require stating, while ""needless to say"" suggests that while it might not be strictly necessary to say it, the speaker is choosing to do so for emphasis.