arrant

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "arrant" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective used to emphasize the extent or degree of something. For example, you can use it in the sentence: "He was an arrant coward for refusing to stand up for himself."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The result was early elections, less than two years after the coalition took office, and an electorate fed up with such arrant folly.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some readers will be tempted to quote Churchill here, supposedly to a pedant who corrected a sentence that ended in a preposition: "this is the kind of arrant nonsense up with which I will not put".

The Economist

Provocatively entitled "The Arrant Folly of QE", it is interesting not least because Mr Smithers is at complete odds with Martin Wolf; in the past, the pair have often been in agreement with the latter quoting the former in the FT on many occasions.Anyway, Mr Smithers states thatthere are several assumptions which underlie QE and only if they can be considered reasonable can QE be justified.

The Economist

A second, an arrant racist, retaliates by slaughtering many of the tribesmen they meet.

The Economist

Well into the 19th century The Times of the day was denouncing some proposal as "arrant democracy"; and no woman under 30 could vote for Parliament until 1928.Happily, history has a way of cleansing language by catching up with lies.

The Economist

MSI dismisses this charge as "arrant nonsense".

The Economist

Sir Anthony describes this as "arrant nonsense".

The Economist

It is 18 months since arrant mismanagement resulted in Gavin not even making the weight for Beijing, where as world amateur lightweight champion he would have been one of Britain's strongest medal contenders, and the episode still rankles.

Independent

Although Bjelke-Peterson built Queensland into an economic power and Brisbane into a thriving capital city, he also demonstrated arrant chauvinism, hostility to social and environmental concerns, and disregard for alleged police corruption and brutality.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

4 Who killed a French baron for calling his king "the arrantest coward in the world" at a dinner party? 5 Which duellists fought unknowingly with unloaded pistols, following an accusation of cheating at the Lamb Inn? 6 Following victory in a duel in Bengal, which ship's surgeon operated on himself to remove a bullet from his chest?

The Guardian

Last month, Fannie Mae retained a second outside party, the law firm Bradley Arrant Boult Cummings, to scrutinize the Stern firm.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "arrant" to add emphasis to negative qualities or behaviors. It is most effective when the situation warrants a strong, somewhat archaic expression. For example, instead of saying 'complete nonsense', you might say "arrant nonsense" to convey greater disapproval.

Common error

Avoid using "arrant" in everyday conversation or informal writing, as it can sound overly formal or antiquated. Modern alternatives like "utter" or "complete" may be more appropriate for contemporary use.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "arrant" functions as an intensifier, typically preceding a noun to emphasize the extreme or complete nature of a negative quality. As Ludwig highlights, it denotes something as being utterly or wholly of a particular (bad) kind.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "arrant" is an adjective used to emphasize the extent or degree of something, usually something negative. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is correct and usable in written English. While grammatically sound, it's worth noting that "arrant" carries a slightly archaic tone and is most frequently found in news articles and formal contexts. For modern writing, consider its impact: it adds emphasis but can sound overly formal. Alternatives like "utter" or "complete" might be more appropriate in contemporary settings. Remember to use it judiciously to avoid sounding out of touch.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utter

Emphasizes completeness, similar to "arrant" but more commonly used in modern contexts.

complete

Indicates that something is fully and entirely what it is described as.

absolute

Suggests a lack of qualification or restriction, similar to the intensifying effect of "arrant".

thorough

Emphasizes the comprehensive nature of something, closely related to "arrant" in meaning.

downright

Suggests that something is openly and unmistakably what it is described as.

outright

Similar to "downright", indicating something is direct and unambiguous.

sheer

Highlights the pure and unadulterated nature of something, like "arrant".

pure

Emphasizes the lack of any other element or quality, similar to "arrant" in intensity.

unmitigated

Indicates that something is not lessened or softened in any way, thus emphasizing its severity.

flagrant

Describes something conspicuously or obviously offensive.

FAQs

How do you use "arrant" in a sentence?

The word "arrant" is used as an adjective to emphasize a negative quality. For example, "He is an "arrant fool"" or "That's "arrant nonsense"!"

What words are similar to "arrant"?

Similar words include "utter", "complete", "absolute", and "thorough". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey. For example, you could use "utter disregard".

Is "arrant" still commonly used today?

While "arrant" is grammatically correct, it is somewhat archaic and less common in modern English. Alternatives like "complete fool" or "utter nonsense" may be more appropriate for contemporary writing and speech.

What's the difference between "arrant" and "errant"?

"Arrant" means complete or utter, emphasizing a negative quality. "Errant", on the other hand, means straying or wandering. For example, ""arrant nonsense"" versus "errant knight".