extremely few

USAGE SUMMARY

"extremely few" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to express how small a number of something is. For example: "Of the many studies conducted on the topic, only extremely few gave a favorable result."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The phenomenon is quite new — extremely few authors managed to reach such productivity peaks until recently.

Stanford University

Other than its habitat preferences, extremely few aspects of its ecology have been established.

Cornell University

Yet, fundamental, examples of surface science-based reaction design are extremely few.

Progress in Surface Science

Despite the publicity they have engendered, however, extremely few individuals have belonged to such organizations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"We've received extremely few phone calls to stop this project," said Mr. Madrid.

The New York Times

The I.R.S., which declined to comment, has penalized extremely few churches.

The New York Times

Essentially quantitative conversion was achieved with extremely few residual volatiles, as indicated by evolved gas FTIR and solid state NMR.

Polymer

There are extremely few mavericks in Congress who vote on each issue on an independent and nonpartisan basis.

The New York Times

Space exploration is one of the extremely few areas in which there is a lot of bipartisan agreement in Washington.

The New York Times

Actually, extremely few documented facts are known about how the enslaved Americans involved in the Pearl escape acted or felt.

The Washington Post

With extremely few exceptions, the personnel had no idea what they were doing, but they did what they were told.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "extremely few" to emphasize the scarcity or rarity of something, especially when you want to highlight that the number is surprisingly small.

Common error

Avoid overuse of intensifiers like "extremely". While "extremely few" is valid, consider whether "very few" or "few" would suffice, maintaining clarity without sounding hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "extremely few" functions as a determiner phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a very small quantity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "extremely few" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression to denote a remarkably small quantity. Ludwig AI validates its correctness, and the numerous examples show its usage across diverse fields like science, news, and academia. While versatile, consider alternatives like "very few" or "a scant few" to prevent overusing intensifiers. When you aim to stress the limited presence of something, "extremely few" serves as a powerful and accurate choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extraordinarily few

Emphasizes the rarity or exceptional nature of the small quantity.

incredibly few

Highlights the surprising or unbelievable nature of the small number.

exceptionally few

Similar to extraordinarily few, stressing the unusual nature.

exceedingly few

Implies a quantity that is more than just very few.

very few

A more common and direct way of expressing a small number.

a scant few

Emphasizes the insufficiency of the small number.

hardly any

Expresses that something almost doesn't exist.

a negligible number

Indicates that the number is so small it's practically unimportant.

almost none

Suggests a quantity approaching zero.

a trickle

Implies a very small and slow amount or flow.

FAQs

How can I use "extremely few" in a sentence?

You can use "extremely few" to emphasize a very small quantity. For example, "Extremely few studies have explored this phenomenon in detail."

What are some alternatives to "extremely few"?

Alternatives include "very few", "a scant few", or "hardly any" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "extremely few" formal or informal?

"Extremely few" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it's more common in formal writing and speech. In very casual contexts, phrases like "hardly any" might be preferred.

What's the difference between "very few" and "extremely few"?

"Extremely few" intensifies the smallness of the quantity. While "very few" indicates a small number, "extremely few" emphasizes that the number is surprisingly or remarkably small.