a few leftists

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few leftists" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a small number of individuals who hold leftist political views or ideologies. Example: "In the discussion about economic policies, a few leftists expressed their concerns about income inequality."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Britain just has a few leftists eager to mend their threadbare socialism with something borrowed from National Socialism.

The Washington Post

The 27-member cabinet included a number of holdovers — notably the foreign, interior and economy ministers — as well as a few leftists.

The New York Times

Only a few leftists are holding out.Through the pact, the government has gained cross-party support for its raids on teachers and telecoms, which are not vital to the opposition's electoral base.

The Economist

Although he is a political liberal, he has taken on more than a few leftists in his writings — particularly those who read his theory of genes as sanctioning rapacious and selfish behavior.

The New York Times - Science

So whites and blacks are both going after Obama, rightists (mainly) but also quite a few leftists.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Thirty years ago, only a few leftist mavericks like Raymond Williams insisted that culture was ordinary.

The Guardian - Opinion

That is, they grew up inside the apparatus of movement conservatism, and really imagine that everyone except a few leftist losers shares their ideology.

The New York Times

Occupy Wall Street's transformation from a few leftist protesters squatting in Zuccotti Park into a global movement is both predictable and surprising.

Vice

But, in fact, the institute has achieved considerable mainstream success in the last few years, taking pro-family arguments once made only by the religious right and making them palatable for the center and even a few academic leftists.

The New York Times

It is a lie that has now become as customary to the Trump rally experience as the reading of polls and airing of grievances, but the image was better than the reality of a few college leftists with too-wordy placards mainly displaying them at each other.

The Guardian

(Pretending you work for Vox is an in-joke among a few internet leftists I won't bother to explain).

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a few leftists" when you want to indicate a small, indefinite number of people who adhere to leftist ideologies within a larger group or context.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "a few leftists" represent the views of all leftists; their opinions may not be representative of the broader political movement.

Linguistic Context

Adjectival phrase. The phrase "a few leftists" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, describing a specific group of people identified by their political alignment. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through its examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few leftists" is a grammatically correct way to refer to a small number of people who identify with leftist ideologies. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's predominantly used in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, it's essential to avoid overgeneralizations and to be mindful of the context to maintain a neutral and objective tone. Alternative phrasing includes "some left-wing individuals" or "a small number of leftists", offering subtle variations in emphasis and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

some left-wing individuals

Replaces "few" with "some" and uses "left-wing" instead of "leftist", slightly altering the emphasis.

a handful of leftists

Substitutes "few" with "handful", implying a very small number.

a small number of leftists

Replaces "few" with the more explicit "small number", making the quantity more precise.

a minority of leftists

Focuses on the group being smaller compared to a majority.

isolated leftists

Implies leftists are separated from others, perhaps disagreeing with more.

a scattering of leftists

Emphasizes the dispersed nature of the small group.

several left-leaning people

Uses "several" and "left-leaning" to broaden the scope slightly while remaining similar in meaning.

a couple of leftists

More informal and specific than "a few".

a limited number of leftists

Highlights that quantity is restricted.

a sprinkling of leftists

Suggests that leftists are sparsely distributed or not very impactful.

FAQs

How can I use "a few leftists" in a sentence?

You can use "a few leftists" to describe a small number of individuals who hold leftist political views. For example: "In the discussion about economic policies, a few leftists expressed their concerns about income inequality."

What's a more formal way to say "a few leftists"?

For a more formal tone, you could use phrases like "some left-wing individuals" or "a small number of leftists".

Is it appropriate to use the term "leftists" in professional writing?

While "leftist" is generally understood, consider the context. In sensitive discussions, using terms like "left-leaning individuals" or specifying particular ideologies might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "a few leftists" and "some leftists"?

"A few leftists" typically implies a smaller number than "some leftists". The choice depends on the level of precision you want to convey.