contain a majority

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contain a majority" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the composition or makeup of a group, collection, or dataset, indicating that more than half of its elements belong to a certain category. Example: "The survey results indicate that the responses contain a majority of positive feedback from participants."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

The incoming House of Representatives is likely to contain a majority of Republican delegations, which would presumably vote for him under the 12th Amendment.

The New York Times

The exchange is, however, proposing new standards for director independence, along with a requirement that all boards contain a majority of these newly defined independent directors.

The Economist

The human prion protein fragment, PrP (106 126), may contain a majority of the pathological features associated with the infectious scrapie isoform of PrP, known as PrPSc.

Neurobiology of Aging

The results indicate that the alloys contain a majority of hydrogen storage Laves phases and a minority of fine-structured non-Laves phases.

Journal of Power Sources

A group of galaxies is the most common type of galactic cluster, and these formations contain a majority of the galaxies (as well as most of the baryonic mass) in the Universe.

Wikipedia

Adherent cells contain a majority of astrocytes whose purity was increased with trypsinization and further passages.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

After the earlier decisions, the district is now somewhat more compact and contains a majority of whites.

The New York Times

Fans who still believed in the idea of Orange supremacy soon found themselves cheering on a side containing a majority of Catholics.

Independent

This would improve his chances of winning another term by ensuring that the electoral college contained a majority of his supporters.

The Economist

The model that showed the best fit to the experimental data contains a majority (80%) of tg't-103 sequences with randomly distributed tg't-31 units.

Polymer

Gardens are ubiquitous in western cities, comprising up to a third of the total urban area and often containing a majority of the vegetation present.

Landscape and Urban Planning

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contain a majority", ensure that the context clearly defines what the 'whole' is, and what constitutes the specific characteristic or element that forms the majority. Be precise to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "contain a majority" implies near-total dominance. It simply means more than 50%. If you need to convey near-total dominance, use phrases like "overwhelming majority" or "vast majority".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contain a majority" functions as a descriptor or qualifier, indicating that a particular subset constitutes more than half of a larger group or entity. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

24%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "contain a majority" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that more than half of a group or entity is composed of a specific element. As Ludwig AI explains, it's versatile and appears in various contexts, particularly science and news media. When using this phrase, ensure clarity regarding the scope and avoid redundancy. Consider related phrases like "comprise a majority" or "constitute a majority" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

comprise a majority

Uses 'comprise' instead of 'contain', focusing on the elements that make up the majority.

constitute a majority

Emphasizes the act of forming or composing the majority.

represent a majority

Focuses on the idea of symbolizing or embodying the greater part.

make up a majority

Similar to 'comprise', but with a more informal tone.

consist of a majority

Highlights the components that constitute the greater part.

hold a majority

Indicates possession or control of the majority.

form a majority

Highlights the process of the majority coming into existence.

include a majority

Suggests the presence of a greater part within a whole.

account for a majority

Suggests responsibility for or contribution to the majority.

encompass a majority

Implies that the majority is included within a larger scope.

FAQs

How can I use "contain a majority" in a sentence?

You can use "contain a majority" to describe the composition of a group, set, or collection where more than half of the members share a particular characteristic. For example, "The committee members contain a majority of scientists." In this specific case it means that scientists represents at least 51% of committee members.

What phrases are similar to "contain a majority"?

Similar phrases include "comprise a majority", "constitute a majority", or "include a majority". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "contain a majority of more than half"?

Yes, saying "contain a majority of more than half" is redundant. The term "majority" already implies more than half, so adding "of more than half" is unnecessary and can make your writing seem less concise.

What is the difference between "contain a majority" and "contain a plurality"?

"Contain a majority" means more than 50%, whereas "contain a plurality" means having the largest number of elements in a set, but not necessarily more than 50%. For example, in an election, a candidate can win with a plurality if they have more votes than any other candidate, even if they don't have more than half of all the votes.