a firm majority of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a firm majority of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a significant or strong majority in a decision-making context, such as voting or opinions. Example: "In the recent election, a firm majority of voters supported the new policy changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

While a firm majority of European respondents -- 64percentt -- last year favored a strong American presence in the world, that number dropped to 45percentthis yearar.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

When businesses hire a lawyer from a top firm, the majority of the legal fees they pay are not going directly to the attorney doing the work, according to UpCounsel co-founder and CEO Matt Faustman, who previously worked as an attorney at international law firm Latham & Watkins.

TechCrunch

According to an analysis last year by Community Marketing, a research firm, an overwhelming majority of gay and lesbian travelers say gay-friendliness is the most important factor to them in choosing a hotel.

The New York Times

And while I can see how simplicity could become confusing in a large multinational firm, the majority of businesses are small concerns, where things tend to be much less complex.

The New York Times

Gunderson Dettmer is the law firm a good majority of tech startups turn to in the Valley for fundings, mergers, licensing and other deals, and it's been in the business of offering every-day legal advice to everyone from Oracle to DoorDash since the dot-com boom.

TechCrunch

But people — by "people," I'm referring here to Mr. Greenspan, Mr. Bernanke, the top executives of almost every Wall Street firm and a majority of American homeowners — decided that the usual rules didn't apply because home prices nationwide had never fallen before.

The New York Times

In a post on the party's Web site that includes more footage of the encounters, Ms. Gulbrandsen wrote that she had been assured by the advertising firm that a majority of the passengers shown in the edited video had been picked up at random and had no idea that they were taking part in a political ad.

The New York Times

It's the first time the polling firm found a majority of Americans supporting the law; its popularity peaked in 2012 at only 48percentt.

Vice

The combined use of experiments and computations allowed a firm assignment of the majority of observed bands for the compound.

Journal of Molecular Liquids

In the United States, such firms dominate a majority of the trading, and in Europe, they are responsible for about 45 percent of the trading, according to Celent, a research and consulting firm.

The New York Times

In Britain, where the proportion of outsiders on company boards is less than in the United States, a study published in January by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a firm of consultants, found that a majority of company directors would like to have a higher proportion of non-executives on their boards.The desire to have more independents is even spreading to industrialising countries.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a firm majority of" when you want to emphasize that the majority is not only present, but also resolute and unwavering in their opinion or stance.

Common error

Avoid using "a firm majority of" in contexts where a simple majority suffices. The word "firm" suggests a strong and decisive agreement, so using it when the majority is only slightly over 50% might be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a firm majority of" functions as a determiner phrase modifying a noun. It specifies the quantity or proportion of something, emphasizing that the majority is substantial and unwavering. Ludwig AI indicates this usage is grammatically correct and common.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a firm majority of" is a phrase used to indicate a substantial and resolute level of agreement or support. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly in news, science, and business. While alternatives like "a strong majority of" or "a solid majority of" exist, "a firm majority of" specifically emphasizes the unwavering nature of the majority's stance. It is crucial to ensure it reflects a genuinely strong consensus, lest it misrepresent the actual level of agreement. This phrase is not suited for casual or informal conversations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a strong majority of

Replaces "firm" with "strong", emphasizing the intensity of the majority.

a solid majority of

Substitutes "firm" with "solid", suggesting a stable and reliable majority.

a clear majority of

Uses "clear" instead of "firm", highlighting the unambiguous nature of the majority.

a substantial majority of

Replaces "firm" with "substantial", emphasizing the size and importance of the majority.

a significant majority of

Uses "significant" instead of "firm", highlighting the importance of the majority.

a decisive majority of

Replaces "firm" with "decisive", stressing the conclusiveness of the majority.

an overwhelming majority of

Emphasizes the large scale of the majority.

the vast majority of

Highlights the extensiveness of the majority.

the great majority of

Synonymous to "vast majority of", emphasizing the large extent.

most of

Simplifies the phrase to a more general expression of majority.

FAQs

What does "a firm majority of" mean?

The phrase "a firm majority of" indicates that a notable proportion, more than half, strongly agrees or supports something. The word "firm" emphasizes the strength and decisiveness of this majority.

How can I use "a firm majority of" in a sentence?

You can use "a firm majority of" to describe situations where there's strong agreement or support. For example, "A firm majority of voters supported the proposal."

What are some alternatives to "a firm majority of"?

Alternatives include "a strong majority of", "a solid majority of", or "a clear majority of depending" on the nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "a firm majority of" and "a simple majority of"?

Yes, "a firm majority of" implies a stronger and more decisive level of agreement than "a simple majority of", which just means more than 50%.