anything north of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "anything north of" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to refer to locations, prices, or conditions that are greater than a specified point or threshold. Example: "I won't consider anything north of $100 for that item." Alternative expressions include "any amount above," "greater than," and "over."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

(For those geography-impaired with regard to anything north of Nebraska, Fargo is in North Dakota).

Huffington Post

To me, anything north of Fourteenth Street was Connecticut.

The New Yorker

"Anything north of a two-point spread would be considered clinically significant," he said.

The New York Times

In fact, I've never felt that anything north of Interstate 78 was part of New Jersey.

The New York Times

"I would say anything north of 6.5percentt on Treasury yield might have a chance of slowing down the economy.

The New York Times

What do we have to do, people will ask, to get some investment, some attention, some coverage for anything north of Ed Balls Smells (formerly Watford Gap)?

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

However, the Giants decided to define the Northeast as anything north and east of Trenton.

The New York Times

Glasgow, locals say, is the only "real" city in Scotland, one that has more in common with England's great provincial cities than with anything else north of the border.

The Economist

"Don't touch anything!" "Three blocks north of here, nothing.

The New York Times - Travel

A 16-day overland odyssey has brought Mokaled Gamil, a former Iraqi Army officer, to this southern Swedish town, and what he fears now more than anything is resettlement north of the Arctic Circle in some snow-bound place that will ice over his Mesopotamian blood.

The New York Times

And I'll call anything that's north of 300 million a year non-niche.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "anything north of" to describe geographical locations, ensure that your audience is familiar with the reference point. For instance, "anything north of the river" is clear only if the river's location is well-known.

Common error

Avoid using "anything north of" in contexts where a more precise or technical term is needed. For example, in scientific measurements, using specific units is more appropriate than a relative phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "anything north of" primarily functions as a prepositional modifier, setting a lower boundary or threshold. It indicates that whatever is being discussed exceeds this specific point. As Ludwig confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and readily usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Science

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "anything north of" serves as a versatile prepositional modifier to denote exceeding a certain value or point. As affirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across diverse contexts, predominantly in News & Media. While generally neutral in tone, it is best practice to ensure clarity regarding the reference point. Common alternatives include "anything above", "anything greater than", and "anything exceeding".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anything above

This alternative uses "above" instead of "north of" to indicate a quantity or level exceeding a certain point.

anything exceeding

This option replaces "north of" with "exceeding", emphasizing the act of surpassing a specific value or limit.

anything greater than

This alternative uses a more formal and mathematical term, "greater than", to express a higher value or quantity.

anything beyond

This option employs "beyond" to suggest a position or state that is past a certain point or limit.

anything higher than

This phrase uses "higher than" to denote a superior level or quantity compared to a reference point.

anything surpassing

This alternative uses "surpassing" to highlight the act of exceeding or outdoing a specific value or threshold.

anything over

This is a more informal way of saying "anything above", suitable for casual contexts.

anything in excess of

This phrase employs a more formal and emphatic expression, "in excess of", to convey an amount or quantity that is more than a specified value.

anything upward of

Similar to "anything above", this option uses "upward of" to suggest a value that is at least a certain amount or potentially more.

anything climbing past

This phrase indicates a value that not only exceeds a point but continues to increase beyond it.

FAQs

How can I use "anything north of" in a sentence?

You can use "anything north of" to indicate a value, location, or condition that is greater or higher than a specified point. For example, "I won't accept anything north of $50 for this item" or "Anything north of the city center is considered a suburb".

What's a similar phrase to "anything north of"?

Similar phrases include "anything above", "anything greater than", or "anything exceeding", depending on the context.

Is "anything north of" formal or informal?

"Anything north of" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly technical or scientific writing, a more precise term might be preferred.

Can "anything north of" refer to non-physical things?

Yes, "anything north of" can be used metaphorically to refer to abstract concepts like quality, performance, or expectations. For example, "We're looking for a performance anything north of the industry average".