best thus far

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "best thus far" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is the best or most favorable up to the present moment. Example: "This year's sales figures are the best thus far, showing a significant increase compared to previous years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

There have been no chances of note for either side, but Liverpool have been second best thus far.

The Guardian - Sport

Williams, a three-time singles champion at the Australian Open and the second seed here, had not been at her best thus far in this tournament.

The New York Times - Sports

First set: Philippoussis 3 - 4 *Federer Pou's returns are not really his best thus far and another wide forehand means Fed wins his serve again.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

8.20pm BST 33 min: Ukraine have been the better team in this half, but England have had the best chance thus far.

The Guardian - Sport

That was Iran's best moment thus far.

The Guardian - Sport

Upson, 22, has enjoyed his best season thus far at Highbury after a severe injury two years ago.

The Guardian - Sport

I'll Have Another is Flower Alley's best offspring thus far.

The New York Times

When told that even the outspoken Quinn was on his best behavior thus far, Holik laughed and said, "Wait".

The New York Times - Sports

Paul Pogba produced a drag-back and pass with his heel but Felix Brych blew for offside, and then City had the best chance thus far.

The Guardian - Sport

In his match yesterday, against Juan Carlos Ferrero, he hit three of the tournament's five best shots thus far (James Blake has the top spot).

The New Yorker

The best attempt thus far occurred in the show's Los Angeles production, which opened in May with Jason Alexander as Max and Martin Short as Leo.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the formality of your audience. While "best thus far" is generally acceptable, "best so far" may be more appropriate for informal settings.

Common error

Avoid using "best thus far" without a clear reference point. If the period isn't obvious, specify it to prevent ambiguity. For example, instead of 'This is the best result thus far', write 'This is the best result this quarter'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "best thus far" functions as a superlative modifier, indicating the highest degree of quality or achievement up to a specific point in time. It often qualifies a noun, specifying it as the most excellent in a series or progression. Ludwig confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "best thus far" is used to indicate the most successful or excellent outcome up to a particular point in time. While grammatically correct and suitable for a variety of contexts, it is relatively infrequent and best used when a temporal comparison is relevant. As Ludwig AI points out, the expression is valid and appears in news, scientific, and business publications. When using "best thus far", clarity and temporal scope are essential to ensure the message is well formatted and easy to understand.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

best so far

Replaces "thus far" with a more common and informal alternative, "so far".

best to date

Substitutes "thus far" with "to date", providing a slightly more formal tone.

greatest up to the present

Replaces "best" with "greatest" and "thus far" with "up to the present", offering a more emphatic alternative.

finest to this point

Replaces "best" with "finest" and "thus far" with "to this point", resulting in a more elevated tone.

highest yet

A concise alternative replacing "best thus far" emphasizing the peak achievement.

topmost until now

Uses "topmost" instead of "best", emphasizing a ranking, and replaces "thus far" with "until now".

premier until the present time

Emphasizes superiority and temporal limitation, replacing "best" with "premier".

leading up to now

Focuses on the progression to the current moment, using "leading" instead of "best".

unrivaled till now

Highlights the lack of competition until the current moment, replacing "best" with "unrivaled".

most exceptional hitherto

Uses "most exceptional" for "best" and "hitherto" for "thus far", resulting in a more formal and less common expression.

FAQs

What does "best thus far" mean?

"Best thus far" means the best or most successful up to the present moment or a specific point in time. It indicates a superlative achievement within a defined period.

How can I use "best thus far" in a sentence?

You can use "best thus far" to describe a performance, result, or product that is the most successful or highest-achieving up to now. For example, "This is the company's "best year thus far"".

What are some alternatives to "best thus far"?

Alternatives include "best so far", "best to date", or "highest yet", depending on the context and desired formality.

Is "best thus far" formal or informal?

"Best thus far" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal. For a more informal option, you can use "best so far".