a majority

USAGE SUMMARY

"a majority" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to the greater portion of an amount or group. For example, "A majority of people surveyed said that they felt safe in their neighborhoods."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Not a majority, certainly.

The Economist

"Or just a majority?

The New York Times

Or, perhaps, a majority?

The New Yorker

Yet a majority succeed.

The New York Times - Books

With a majority!

Independent

A majority leave without degrees.

The New York Times

Make it a majority activity.

Independent

A majority of them do.

The New York Times - Sports

But a majority by far were male.

The New York Times - Arts

Merely a majority, or some other.

The New York Times

It must also command a majority there.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a majority" when you need to clearly indicate that more than half of a group or population is being discussed. It's more precise than saying "most".

Common error

Avoid using "a majority" when you actually mean a plurality. A majority is more than 50%, while a plurality simply means more than any other single group, even if it's less than half.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a majority" functions as a determiner followed by a noun, typically acting as a subject or object in a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It indicates that more than half of a group or population is being referred to.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

7%

Science

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a majority" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that more than half of a group is being referenced. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usefulness in various contexts. It is most frequently found in news and media, but also appears in formal and business settings. When using this phrase, it's important to differentiate it from "plurality", which means more than any other group but not necessarily more than half. Remember to use plural verbs with the phrase "the majority of people", and consider alternatives like "most of" or "the greater part" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of

A more direct and common way of saying a large part of a group or thing.

over half

Directly indicates the quantity being more than 50%.

the greater part

Emphasizes the size of the group being larger than half, focusing on proportion.

the majority share

Highlights possession and control based on quantity.

a significant portion

Highlights the importance or size of the section being considered.

the bulk of

Suggests the main or largest portion of something.

a large segment

Highlights that the group in question is a portion of a bigger group.

a predominant number

Emphasizes that the quantity is prevailing or leading.

the better part

Indicates that the majority is a qualitatively superior segment.

the lion's share

Implies that a very significant portion is being referred to.

FAQs

How do I use "a majority" in a sentence?

Use "a majority" to indicate that more than half of a group or population agrees with something or does something. For example, "A majority of voters supported the proposal."

What's a good alternative to "a majority"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "most of", "the greater part", or "more than half".

Is it correct to say "the majority of people is" or "the majority of people are"?

The correct form is "the majority of people are" because "people" is plural. While "majority" is singular, it refers to a group of individuals.

What's the difference between "a majority" and "a plurality"?

"A majority" means more than 50% of the total, while "a plurality" means more than any other group, but not necessarily more than 50%.