comprised mostly of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'comprised mostly of' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to describe something composed of mostly one element, with some smaller amounts of other elements. For example: "The population of the city is comprised mostly of young professionals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is comprised mostly of local stations.

The New Yorker

"It's comprised mostly of new taxes on the insurance industry".

The New York Times

The crowd — which, according to the camera pans, was comprised mostly of very beautiful women — went completely bonkers.

The New Yorker

The union's peacekeeping force of more than 5,000 is comprised mostly of soldiers from Uganda and Burundi.

The New York Times

They're small units that are comprised mostly of military people, although they do have civilian members, too.

The New Yorker

One court over, however, was the scene of a roiling game of full court, comprised mostly of kids.

The New Yorker

His squad, comprised mostly of players from the region, shoots very well for the low-major Northeast Conference.

The New York Times - Sports

On the pitch, the seleçao – comprised mostly of players from poor communities – has won more World Cups than any other.

The Guardian - Sport

The menu follows suit, and is comprised mostly of no-fuss classics like fried oysters, skate wing, and steamers.

The New Yorker

Years ago, before we were married, my husband Andrew ran a reading group - it was comprised mostly of young progressive-minded men in their 20s.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Social networks are very much like real-world communities that are comprised mostly of good people who are there for the right reasons".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "comprised mostly of", ensure that the other components are not entirely negligible. If the subject is almost entirely one thing, consider using "comprised entirely of" or "primarily comprised of" instead.

Common error

Avoid using "comprised of" when you mean "composed of". Although often used interchangeably, "comprise" means 'to include' or 'contain', while "compose" means 'to constitute' or 'to make up'. It is more technically correct to say something is "composed mostly of" something else.

Linguistic Context

"Comprised mostly of" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the primary constituents of a subject. It modifies a noun or noun phrase by specifying its composition. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is common and grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

39%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "comprised mostly of" is a grammatically correct and versatile phrase used to describe the composition of something, emphasizing its dominant element. Ludwig AI confirms its accuracy and widespread use. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Science contexts, with a neutral to formal register. When employing this phrase, ensure that the remaining components are noteworthy and consider using alternatives like "primarily composed of" for a stronger emphasis or "largely constituted by" to focus on the structural aspect. Remember to distinguish "comprised of" from "composed of" for greater precision, and avoid overuse by varying your descriptive language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily composed of

Emphasizes the main component while suggesting other minor elements are present.

largely constituted by

Focuses on the composition, highlighting the dominant element.

mainly consisting of

Highlights the major components that make up the whole.

predominantly formed of

Stresses the formation process, emphasizing the most significant element.

chiefly made up of

Indicates the principal element within a composition.

mostly filled with

Suggests a volume or space is occupied by the specified element.

generally composed of

Indicates a prevalent but not necessarily exclusive composition.

substantially consisting of

Emphasizes the considerable amount of the specified component.

heavily weighted with

Indicates that the subject contains a large percentage of certain elements.

markedly characterized by

Points out that a feature is significant in defining something, but not all elements within are of that kind.

FAQs

How can I use "comprised mostly of" in a sentence?

Use "comprised mostly of" to indicate that something consists mainly of a specific element, with other elements present in smaller quantities. For example, "The team is comprised mostly of volunteers".

What's a good alternative to "comprised mostly of"?

Alternatives include "mainly consisting of", "primarily composed of", or "largely constituted by", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "comprised of" or "composed of"?

"Composed of" is generally considered more precise because "comprise" means to include all parts, whereas "composed of" means to be made up of parts. To be completely correct, use "composed of" or rephrase to use "comprises" correctly (e.g., "The team comprises mostly volunteers.").

What's the difference between "comprised mostly of" and "entirely comprised of"?

"Comprised mostly of" indicates that a majority of something is made up of a particular element, with other elements present. In contrast, "entirely comprised of" indicates that something is exclusively made up of a single element, with no other components.