a unparalleled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a unparalleled" is not correct in English.
It should be "an unparalleled." You can use "an unparalleled" when describing something that is unmatched or without equal in quality or degree. Example: "Her performance in the competition was an unparalleled display of talent and skill."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Vijay Singh A triumph for a unparalleled work ethic.

The Guardian - Sport

Some are downright nervous about the intentions of Amazon, with its deep pockets and a unparalleled distribution system into tens of millions of living rooms and onto electronic devices.

The New York Times - Tech

In a unparalleled show of faith in the international mail service, the real stone had been sent by registered post in a plain box adorned with a three-shilling stamp.

Independent

The success of iPhone 4 has been astonishing to witness, despite the antenna issues, proving once again that Apple has a unparalleled ability to differentiate around design and integration, not simply "features".

TechCrunch

One of the most attractive drug delivery systems for tumour targeting are liposomes, as they show a relative high accumulation and have a unparalleled circulatory half life (Allen and Cullis, 2004).

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Woodward is manifestly a great reporter — an unparalleled getter of facts of a certain type.

The New Yorker

"We're facing a phenomenon on an unparalleled scale".

Independent

It was an unparalleled modern genocide, an attempt to exterminate an entire people in 100 days.

Independent

"Under his direction, VQR built a devoted following and an unparalleled record of recognition".

The New York Times

We can offer an author three audiences, an unparalleled experience in this country".

The New York Times

Angkor was a work of geoengineering on an unparalleled scale".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article 'an' instead of 'a' when the following word begins with a vowel sound. Since 'unparalleled' starts with the vowel sound /ʌ/, it must be preceded by 'an' to ensure fluid speech and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Writers sometimes mistakenly use 'a' because they focus on the letter 'u' as a semi-vowel (as in 'a university') or simply overlook the article while focusing on the complex spelling of 'unparalleled'. Always perform a final check on the article-noun or article-adjective agreement during editing.

How to use

Learn how to use "a unparalleled" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "a unparalleled", the components function as an indefinite article followed by an attributive adjective. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, this construction fails to meet standard English phonological requirements. The adjective serves to modify a subsequent noun by indicating its absolute supremacy or uniqueness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a unparalleled" is a documented grammatical error found sparingly in professional journalism and scientific literature. Ludwig AI and standard English rules clearly indicate that the correct form is "<a href="/s/an+unparalleled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unparalleled" because the adjective begins with a vowel sound. While authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian occasionally contain this typo, it remains an incorrect construction. Writers should favor corrected alternatives such as "<a href="/s/an+unrivaled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unrivaled" or "<a href="/s/a+peerless" target="_blank" rel="alternative">a peerless" to maintain a professional and polished tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an unparalleled

uses the correct indefinite article 'an' before the vowel sound of 'unparalleled'

an unrivaled

replaces the adjective with a semantically identical synonym starting with a vowel

an unmatched

provides a near-perfect synonym following correct article usage rules

a peerless

uses an adjective starting with a consonant which makes the article 'a' correct

an incomparable

emphasizes the impossibility of comparison using the correct article

an unsurpassed

indicates that nothing has gone beyond this level of quality

a matchless

switches to a consonant-led synonym meaning without an equal

a singular

denotes a one-of-a-kind status using a consonant-led adjective

a unique

conveys being the only one of its kind but is slightly broader in meaning

an exceptional

focuses more on high quality rather than the absolute lack of competition

FAQs

Is it 'a unparalleled' or 'an unparalleled'?

The correct form is "<a href="/s/an+unparalleled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unparalleled". In English grammar, the article 'an' is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, regardless of the specific letter.

Why does 'a unparalleled' appear in some news articles?

Even in reputable sources like The New York Times or The Guardian, typographical errors occur. While you may find instances of "a unparalleled" in professional writing, Ludwig AI confirms it is a mistake and should not be emulated.

What can I say instead of 'a unparalleled'?

You can use grammatically correct alternatives like "<a href="/s/an+unrivaled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unrivaled", "<a href="/s/a+peerless" target="_blank" rel="alternative">a peerless" or "<a href="/s/an+unmatched" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unmatched".

Does 'a unparalleled' follow the same rule as 'a university'?

No. The word 'university' starts with a 'y' consonant sound (/juː/), so 'a' is correct. However, 'unparalleled' starts with a short 'u' vowel sound (/ʌ/), requiring "<a href="/s/an+unparalleled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">an unparalleled".