excess of half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excess of half" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to indicate that a quantity is more than half of a specified amount. Example: "The committee requires an excess of half of the votes to pass the new policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

I must have spent a budget in excess of half a million pounds furnishing countless 100sqft Design Technology classrooms.

The Guardian

There was a thin window at mid-off that was broken in excess of half a dozen times over the years.

The Guardian - Sport

Their friendship has endured beyond all others and Bingham has catalogued the vicissitudes of Ali's life, taking in excess of half a million photographs in the process.

The Guardian - Sport

It has currently sold in excess of half a million copies there and Mr Norfolk's German royalty earnings are into six figures (in sterling).

The Economist

But should she decide to put it on the market, her friend the broker, Bill Axness of Coldwell Banker in Norwalk, estimated that it would probably go for "in excess of half a million".

The New York Times

A cheerful, upbeat approach to the serious business of spending, say, in excess of half a million quid of the taxpayer's cash per hour of telly is not only just what Tessa Jowell ordered but seems to be paying dividends.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Half of the volume was taken for input, the remainder was centrifuged and excess 1× KBB was removed.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Earlier this week Om Malik of GigaOm reported Snapchat was raising $100 million but at a valuation "in excess of a half a billion dollars", that one source pegged at $700 million post-money.

TechCrunch

Around San Francisco Bay, the storm led to an urban and small stream flood warning, as rain in excess of a half-inch an hour moved in, according to the National Weather Service.

The Guardian

One reason for buying the retail condominium, Mr. Posniak said, was Upper East Side demographics: between the East River and Central Park, from 72nd to 96th Street, there are 48,000 households, with an average annual income of $175,000 177 percent of the households have incomes in excess of $250,000, and half the population is between age 25 and 49, prime spending years.

The New York Times

d, he had squandered slightly in excess of three and a half million dollars before 1940.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "excess of half", ensure the context clearly defines the whole amount you are referring to. For example, "Excess of half of the students passed the exam" clarifies that the 'whole' is the total number of students.

Common error

Avoid using "excess of half" without a clearly defined baseline or total. For example, avoid saying "There was an excess of half" without specifying what 'half' refers to, as this can lead to confusion. Instead, make it clear like "There was an excess of half of the allocated budget".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excess of half" functions as a modifier, typically quantifying or describing an amount or proportion that is greater than 50%. Ludwig confirms its usability in written English. It is often part of a larger prepositional phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Wiki

12%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "excess of half" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate that a quantity is greater than 50%. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and business writing. To ensure clarity, always specify the baseline to which "excess of half" refers. While alternatives like "more than half" or "over half" exist, "excess of half" maintains a slightly more formal tone. Remember to define the 'whole' for clarity and avoid ambiguity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than half

Direct synonym, simply replaces "excess of" with "more than".

greater than half

Replaces "excess of" with "greater than", maintaining a formal tone.

over half

A more concise alternative, using "over" instead of "excess of".

beyond half

Suggests a quantity exceeding half, implying a further extent.

in excess of 50%

Explicitly states the percentage, providing clarity and precision.

a majority

Indicates that something constitutes more than half of the total.

more than 50 percent

Provides a numerical representation of exceeding half.

a significant portion

Emphasizes that more than half is a notable amount.

substantially more than half

Adds emphasis to the excess, indicating a considerable amount above half.

well over half

Strengthens the sense of exceeding half by a noticeable margin.

FAQs

What does "excess of half" mean?

The phrase "excess of half" means more than 50% of a particular amount. It indicates that a quantity is greater than half of the total.

What can I say instead of "excess of half"?

You can use alternatives like "more than half", "over half", or "greater than half" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in excess of half"?

Yes, it is correct to say "in excess of half". It is a grammatically sound and widely accepted phrase. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "excess of half" is usable in written English.

How formal is the phrase "excess of half"?

The phrase "excess of half" has a neutral to slightly formal tone. While generally suitable for news and media, a more informal context might favor "more than half" or "over half".