by what margin

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by what margin" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to inquire about the extent or degree of difference between two quantities or outcomes. Example: "The election results were surprising; I wonder by what margin the winning candidate secured their victory."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"But frankly when the first position lights up you do not care by what margin".

The Guardian - Sport

Modesty again forbids me saying by what margin I beat the interviewer, but winning is not the point.

Independent

The only question is by what margin, and when -- on the first vote next Sunday, or in a second round on April 9.

The New York Times

For this particular exercise they counted Twitter mentions of either 'beer' or 'church' in every US county, and then assigned each a rating according to which of the two words came out on top and by what margin.

The Guardian

But South America has not hosted a World Cup since 1978, and Brazil not since 1950.Until recently the 2014 presidential race looked likely to be dull, the only doubt being by what margin the president, Dilma Rousseff, would win a second term.

The Economist

The Poll, of course, is the impending media coverage on whether Democrats favor Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama and by what margin.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

On his way out he was asked by Brent Staples, an editorial writer: What margin of error for mistaken executions could you accept?

The New York Times

But at what margin?

The Economist

What margin do you need?

The New York Times

Finally, the method is applied for demonstrative purposes to a large hotel situated in Italy; implementing the innovative phases of the method by successive steps allowed to recognize what margins for profitability and energy saving each phase provides.

Applied Thermal Engineering

It was striking by what a wide margin the public appeared to favor a princess: Bookmakers reported a 7-in-10 chance of the baby being a girl based on hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth in bets.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking about election results or sports outcomes, "by what margin" is particularly effective in focusing on the decisiveness of the victory or defeat.

Common error

Avoid using "by what margin" when inquiring about general differences that aren't quantifiable. For instance, don't ask "by what margin" someone improved their skills; instead, ask "how much" or "to what extent."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by what margin" functions as an interrogative adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, inquiring about the extent or degree of difference. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "by what margin" is a grammatically sound and effective way to inquire about the extent of a difference between two quantities or outcomes. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not exceedingly common, the phrase appears frequently in news and media contexts, particularly when discussing election results, sports outcomes, or financial performance. For more general inquiries about differences, alternatives like "by how much" or "to what extent" may be more appropriate. When used correctly, "by what margin" adds a layer of precision and formality to the conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by how much

This alternative directly replaces "what margin" with "how much", focusing on the quantity of difference.

by what amount

Replaces "margin" with "amount", focusing on the specific quantity of difference.

to what degree

This phrase shifts from a quantitative to a more qualitative measure of difference or extent.

to what extent

Similar to "to what degree", this emphasizes the range or scope of the difference.

how wide was the margin

Emphasizes the width or breadth of the margin, often used in contexts where the difference is visually apparent.

what was the difference

This alternative restructures the phrase as a question about the difference, rather than the margin.

what was the gap

Uses the word "gap" as a synonym for "margin", emphasizing the space or interval between two values.

what was the spread

Uses "spread" to indicate the distribution or range between values, common in statistical or financial contexts.

what was the scale of difference

This emphasizes the magnitude of the difference using more descriptive language.

what is the differential

This option uses a more technical term, "differential", to refer to the difference.

FAQs

What does "by what margin" mean?

The phrase "by what margin" refers to the quantity or extent of difference between two amounts or values. It inquires about the specific numerical gap between outcomes, scores, or results.

How can I use "by what margin" in a sentence?

You can use "by what margin" to ask about the difference in results, such as "The analyst questioned by what margin the company exceeded its projected earnings." or "The pollster was curious by what margin the candidate was leading."

What are some alternatives to saying "by what margin"?

Alternatives to "by what margin" include "by how much", "to what extent", or "what was the difference" depending on the desired emphasis and context.

Is it more formal to say "by what margin" or "by how much"?

"By what margin" can be perceived as slightly more formal, but both phrases are generally acceptable in professional contexts. "By how much" is more direct and commonly used in everyday language.