a majority of whom

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a majority of whom" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a group of people and specifying that most of them share a certain characteristic or quality. Example: "The committee members were all experts in their fields, a majority of whom had published extensively in academic journals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Those compare with 64percentt among whites, a majority of whom favor Republicans.

The Washington Post

More than 170 people, a majority of whom had cancer, have taken advantage of the law.

The New York Times

How are proxy rules affecting the ultimate beneficial owners of public companies – a majority of whom are "silent" retail investors?

Columbia University

The balance in Pennsylvania was held by white male votes, a majority of whom backed Clinton by 55% to 45%.

The Guardian

The people of Peterborough, a majority of whom voted to leave the EU, lost a very fine GP.

The Guardian

But the influx of Hispanics, a majority of whom were born in Mexico, has left an unmistakable impact.

The New York Times

Observers also noted the emergence of a sector of long-term poor, a majority of whom were Roma.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It seems tailor-made for this demographic, a majority of whom don't have credit cards at all.

The Guardian - Money

It is controlled by mutual-fund board directors, a majority of whom must be independent of the fund-management company.

The Economist

That will not sit well with senior citizens, a majority of whom are expected to vote Republican in November.

The New York Times

You'd never know that the shareholders, a majority of whom voted against Mr. Morea, were the actual owners of CommonWealth.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a majority of whom", ensure the antecedent (the group being referred to) is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a majority of whom" with a singular antecedent. The phrase refers to a group, so the antecedent should always be plural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a majority of whom" functions as a relative clause, providing additional information about a previously mentioned group. It specifies that more than half of the individuals in that group share a particular characteristic. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

17%

Science

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a majority of whom" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that functions as a relative clause, providing additional information about a group where more than half share a characteristic. Ludwig AI analysis of example sentences confirms its usability across various contexts. While slightly formal, it's generally appropriate for neutral to formal writing, particularly in news, academic, and scientific domains. When using the phrase, ensure the antecedent is clear and plural. For simpler alternatives, consider "most of whom" or "the majority of whom".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of whom

A more concise and commonly used alternative.

the majority of whom

Adds slight emphasis, repeating "majority".

more than half of whom

A more explicit and less idiomatic alternative.

a good number of whom

Less precise, implying a substantial but not necessarily over 50% portion.

a large proportion of whom

Implies a considerable segment of the whole.

a significant portion of whom

Highlights the importance or impact of the segment.

the greater number of whom

More formal and slightly archaic.

the bulk of whom

Emphasizes size or quantity.

a prevalent number of whom

Implies the widespread nature of a characteristic.

the predominant part of whom

Very formal and emphasizes control or influence.

FAQs

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

Use "a majority of whom" to specify that more than half of a group shares a specific characteristic. For example: "The students, "a majority of whom" were from out of state, enjoyed the campus tour."

What's a simpler way to say "a majority of whom"?

You can use simpler alternatives like "most of whom" or "the majority of whom", depending on the desired level of formality.

Is it ever incorrect to use "a majority of whom"?

While grammatically correct, using "a majority of whom" can sometimes sound overly formal. Consider whether a simpler phrase would be more appropriate for your audience and context.

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

"A majority of whom" means more than half of the group, while "a plurality of whom" means more than any other single group, but not necessarily more than half overall.