far more than expected

USAGE SUMMARY

"far more than expected" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to express that something is greater in number, quantity, size, importance, etc. than you thought it would be. For example: "The concert was far more successful than expected, with nearly 3,000 people in attendance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

They bought Mr Cattelan's "Stephanie" for $2.4m and Takashi Murakami's "Miss ko2" for $6.8m.While the Mugrabis paid more than expected for those lots, they also got far more than expected for a picture of their own: a 1962 Warhol titled "Men in Her Life" (pictured top).

The Economist

Chris Edwards, director of tax policy for the Cato Institute, criticized her plan as "essentially giving people money from other people" and argued that it did not put enough expectations on people to save and would cost far more than expected.

The New York Times

The composition brought £4.85 million, far more than expected.

The New York Times - Arts

The American economy generated 163,000 jobs last month, far more than expected.

The New York Times

Greece's GDP probably fell by 6% last year, far more than expected.

The Economist

Greece reported that its economy shrank far more than expected at the start of 2011.

The New York Times

In the past 20 years, birth rates have tumbled far more than expected.

The Economist

Then, pushing a tiny bit more, the Hybrid would suddenly slow far more than expected.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

They found that rich patches of the algae took up carbon dioxide at about 10% the rate of an average green plant--far more than expected, the team reports online 7 January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Science Magazine

YouTube video of fans climbing the gates (watch below) illustrated the chaos, as Baltimore reportedly tried to cope with the far-more-than-expected 200,000 revelers.

Huffington Post

The windfall gains from the flotations of former building societies and insurers look set to be worth far more than expected perhaps £28 billion this year alone and people seem readier to spend their windfall than seemed likely.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "far more than expected", ensure the context clearly establishes what the original expectation was. This provides a stronger contrast and highlights the degree to which the outcome differed.

Common error

Avoid using "far more than expected" as a generic intensifier. Ensure it adds meaningful contrast to the original expectation, rather than just serving as an empty embellishment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far more than expected" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or adjective to express the degree to which something exceeds initial anticipation. It is frequently used to emphasize the magnitude of a surprising outcome, as shown by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "far more than expected" is a grammatically sound and widely used adverbial phrase that serves to emphasize the degree to which an outcome surpasses initial predictions. As Ludwig highlights, it is versatile and appears frequently across various contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and formal business settings. While generally acceptable, more formal alternatives may be preferable in certain situations. Pay attention to the context, as mentioned in Ludwig's analysis of the phrase, to avoid using "far more than expected" as filler.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantially exceeding expectations

Emphasizes a large degree of surpassing expectations.

greatly surpassing anticipations

Focuses on the act of anticipating and the extent to which it was exceeded.

considerably beyond projections

Highlights the aspect of initial projections and their underestimation.

significantly overshooting forecasts

Suggests a clear target (forecast) that was surpassed by a notable amount.

appreciably outstripping predictions

Indicates that something has not just met, but exceeded expectations in a noticeable way.

well above initial estimates

Simple and direct, focusing on surpassing a starting point.

markedly exceeding original outlook

Emphasizes that the original outlook was clearly surpassed.

vastly exceeding preliminary figures

Highlights the difference between a preliminary figure and the final outcome.

substantially in excess of the forecast

Formally indicates a considerable overage compared to a prior forecast.

exceeding initial thoughts considerably

Focuses on the amount by which the expectation was exceeded.

FAQs

How can I use "far more than expected" in a sentence?

You can use "far more than expected" to describe situations where the outcome significantly surpasses initial predictions or estimations. For example, "The fundraising campaign generated "far more than expected", allowing us to fully fund the new community center."

What are some alternatives to "far more than expected"?

Alternatives include "substantially exceeding expectations", "considerably beyond projections", or "significantly overshooting forecasts". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "far more than expected" in formal writing?

While "far more than expected" is generally acceptable, more formal alternatives like "substantially in excess of the forecast" may be preferable in highly formal contexts.

What's the difference between "far more than expected" and "more than expected"?

The addition of "far" intensifies the degree to which the outcome surpassed expectations. "More than expected" simply indicates that the outcome was greater than anticipated, while "far more than expected" emphasizes a significant difference.