a paramount mission

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a paramount mission" is correct and usable in written English, and can be used to describe a very important, essential mission.
For example, "The fire fighters saw it as their paramount mission to bring the blaze under control quickly and safely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Mr. Feldaverd teaches at TEAM Arizona, a school for would-be motorcyclists with its own test track and a paramount mission of safety.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"The paramount mission of the United States Secret Service – protecting the president and other high-ranking national officials – allows no tolerance for error," the panel wrote.

The Guardian

Secrecy is a paramount concern.

The New York Times

Security remains a paramount concern.

The New York Times - Sports

"So safety became a paramount issue".

The New York Times

The budget obviously is a paramount consideration.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Security has become a paramount issue.

The New York Times - Sports

He will have to make public safety a paramount issue.

The New York Times - Magazine

Security became a paramount priority.

Forbes

Safety is a paramount concern and addressed in several ways.

TechCrunch

Do pockets play a paramount role in belief?

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When employing the phrase, ensure the context provides sufficient justification for the mission's elevated status, demonstrating why it is considered more critical than other endeavors.

Common error

Avoid using "a paramount mission" when the situation doesn't genuinely warrant such emphasis. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a paramount mission" functions as a noun phrase, where "paramount" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "mission". It serves to emphasize the exceptional importance or priority of the mission being described. Ludwig confirms the grammatical correctness and usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

12.5%

Less common in

Wiki

12.5%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a paramount mission" is a grammatically correct and usable expression for denoting a task of the highest importance. While relatively rare in usage, as indicated by Ludwig, it effectively conveys that a specific objective takes precedence over others. According to Ludwig, the phrase is often found in formal contexts such as news reporting and academic writing. When using "a paramount mission", it's essential to ensure the situation genuinely warrants such emphasis to maintain credibility and impact. Alternatives such as "a critical mission" or "the most important mission" can be used to express similar concepts with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a critical mission

Replaces "paramount" with "critical", emphasizing the crucial nature of the mission.

a vital mission

Substitutes "paramount" with "vital", highlighting the essential and life-supporting aspect of the mission.

a key mission

Uses "key" instead of "paramount", focusing on the mission's importance as a central element.

an essential mission

Replaces "paramount" with "essential", underscoring the indispensable quality of the mission.

a central mission

Changes "paramount" to "central", stressing the mission's role as the core focus.

the primary mission

Replaces "paramount" with "primary", indicating the mission is of first importance.

the overriding mission

Substitutes "paramount" with "overriding", suggesting the mission takes precedence over others.

the most important mission

Uses a descriptive phrase instead of a single adjective, explicitly stating the mission's high importance.

a top priority mission

Emphasizes the mission's rank in terms of importance and urgency.

a crucial undertaking

Replaces both "paramount" and "mission" with synonyms that convey significance and purpose.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "a paramount mission" in a sentence?

Employ "a paramount mission" to underscore the supreme importance of a specific objective. For instance, "Ensuring customer satisfaction is "a paramount mission" for our company."

What are some alternatives to saying "a paramount mission"?

You can use phrases like "a critical mission", "a vital mission", or "the most important mission" to convey a similar meaning of utmost importance.

Is it appropriate to use "a paramount mission" in informal contexts?

While grammatically correct, "a paramount mission" carries a formal tone. It's generally more suitable for professional, academic, or serious discussions rather than casual conversations.

What distinguishes "a paramount mission" from "an important mission"?

"A paramount mission" denotes the highest level of importance, surpassing all others. "An important mission" simply indicates significance, without necessarily implying it's the most crucial.