best performing

USAGE SUMMARY

"best performing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something or someone that has done better than others. For example, "Joyce was the best performing student in her calculus class."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

38 human-written examples

So we had the best performing shares.

The Economist

The best performing models are presented.

Measurement

We named our best performing systems CheNER.

Journal of Cheminformatics

SFF is the second best performing method.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

The best performing MTANN achieves a precision of 9%.

Composites Part B: Engineering

In general, the best performing descriptor is LTP.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

22 human-written examples

By our methods, Janus Capital is the best- performing family.

Forbes

Table  2 compares several best-performing xylose-fermenting strains.

BMC Biotechnology

Up to five best-performing transitions were selected per precursor.

BioMed Research International

In Pictures: Best-Performing Women In The Olympics.

Forbes

What do the best-performing cities have in common?

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Apply a hyphen, as in "best-performing", when the phrase functions as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., "the best-performing stock").

Common error

Avoid using "most best performing", as "best" is already a superlative. Additionally, failing to use the hyphen in a pre-modifier position can lead to ambiguity in complex technical sentences.

Linguistic Context

In English grammar, "best performing" functions as a superlative adjective phrase. It consists of the superlative adverb 'best' and the present participle 'performing'. According to Ludwig, this phrase typically acts as a modifier for nouns to indicate the highest level of efficiency or success within a specific dataset.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Social Media

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "best performing" is a highly effective tool for making objective, superlative comparisons in professional writing. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usage across scientific and financial domains, often appearing as a benchmark for excellence. When using it as a compound adjective before a noun, remember to include a hyphen for clarity. Whether you are discussing the "best performing" stock, algorithm or student, this phrase remains a standard and correct choice for data-driven communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

top performing

Interchangeable but often preferred in corporate or athletic rankings.

highest achieving

Shifts focus to personal or academic goals rather than technical output.

most effective

Emphasizes the outcome or result rather than the action of performing.

leading

A single word that implies market dominance or status beyond just data metrics.

superior

More formal and suggests a comparative quality rather than a measured performance.

most efficient

Narrower focus on resource management and output-to-input ratios.

optimal

Suggests the best possible performance under specific conditions.

peak performing

Implies that the entity is at its absolute maximum capacity.

best in class

A business idiom meaning the top product or service in its specific category.

most successful

Focuses on broad results such as profit or long-term growth.

FAQs

How to use "best performing" in a sentence?

You can use it to highlight a leader in a dataset, for example: "The "top performing model" was selected for the final analysis after rigorous testing."

Which is correct, "best performing" or "best-performing"?

Both are correct depending on placement. Use the hyphenated version "best-performing asset" when it appears before the noun. Use the unhyphenated version if it follows the noun.

What can I say instead of "best performing"?

You can use alternatives like "most effective", "highest achieving" or "superior" depending on the context of your comparison.

What is the difference between "best performing" and "top performing"?

There is virtually no difference in meaning, though "top performing" is slightly more common in business rankings, while "best performing" is prevalent in scientific data analysis.