a closest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a closest" is not correct in written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "closest" is a superlative adjective and does not require an article. Example: "He is the closest friend I have."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

In a statement yesterday from Los Angeles, Mr. Lemmon said: "I have lost someone I loved as a brother, as a closest friend and a remarkable human being.

The New York Times

Roughly speaking, best proximity theory investigates the existence and uniqueness of such a closest point x.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

The optimum perturbation signal is found with a closest point search in a lattice.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Again, host searches for a closest friend of the target host among its current neighbors.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

A phase head can only probe a closest goal within its c-commanding domain.

Lingua Sinica

This proposal abandons strict (Leibnizian) identity in favor of a "closest continuer" theory.

SEP

Cassini then flew by the small moon Janus with a closest approach distance of 44,000km.

BBC

Then C is a closest common cause of A and B, while F is not.

SEP

The model represents burrowed sediment with a series of equal cylindrical microenvironments in a closest packed array (Fig. 1).

Geochemical Transactions

It was found that a specific loading configuration yielded the most sufficient result for successfully forming a closest packed array over its large area.

Materials Science and Engineering: B

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Regarding the selection of a cut-off point in the Spanish global VSP-A closest to 65.0, a sensitivity value (SE) of 0.72 to 0.74, and specificity value (SP) of 0.70 to 0.72 were shown in relation to a probable noticeable mental health problem or psychosocial health problem.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "a closest". Use "the closest", "nearest", or rephrase to use "most similar" depending on the context.

Common error

The word 'closest' is a superlative adjective and generally doesn't require the indefinite article 'a'. Instead, use the definite article 'the' to specify the single, nearest entity or rephrase to avoid the superlative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a closest" functions as a modifier, but its use is generally incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect because "closest" is a superlative adjective and should be preceded by the definite article "the" instead of the indefinite article "a".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a closest" appears with relative frequency, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, "closest" is a superlative adjective that should typically be preceded by the definite article "the". Therefore, the correct phrasing is "the closest". When aiming to express proximity or similarity, consider using alternatives like "the nearest" or "the most similar". Despite its frequent appearance in science and news sources, this usage should be avoided in formal writing to ensure clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the closest possible

Adds emphasis to the degree of closeness.

the nearest

Replaces 'closest' with 'nearest', using the definite article 'the' appropriately.

the next closest

Specifies proximity relative to another point.

the most proximate

Substitutes 'closest' with a more formal alternative, 'most proximate'.

the most similar

Shifts the focus from physical proximity to similarity in characteristics.

a very near

Emphasizes the closeness but uses a different structure.

the most immediate

Focuses on the lack of anything intervening

the adjacent

Implies being next to or adjoining something.

the utmost near

Emphasizes proximity using 'utmost' and 'near'

the most intimate

Expresses a very close distance or connection.

FAQs

Why is "a closest" considered grammatically incorrect?

The word "closest" is a superlative adjective, indicating the highest degree of proximity. Superlatives typically use the definite article 'the', not the indefinite article 'a'. Thus, it's correct to say "the closest", not "a closest".

What are some alternatives to using "a closest" in a sentence?

Instead of "a closest", you can use alternatives like "the nearest", "the most proximate", or rephrase the sentence to use "the most similar" depending on the intended meaning.

When should I use "the closest" instead of "a closest"?

Always use "the closest" when referring to the single, nearest entity among a group. The use of the definite article "the" indicates a specific item, whereas "a closest" incorrectly implies one among many single nearest entities.

Is there a situation where "a closest" might be acceptable?

No, the phrase "a closest" is generally not considered acceptable in standard English. It's better to use "the closest" or rephrase the sentence using alternatives like "very near" or "highly similar".