from least to greatest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "from least to greatest" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a method of organizing items, numbers, or values in ascending order based on their size or importance. Example: "When sorting the data, please arrange the numbers from least to greatest to make it easier to analyze."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

Each part of the test contains questions that express a behavioral pattern specific to depression, scaled from least to greatest.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Prefaced with "hunch" or "guess", this list of terms would reflect what many people consider a graded series from least to greatest degree of certainty.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

We ranked the 20 female leaders by how well each of their companies' stock returns have performed during their tenures as CEO, from least to greatest total return.

Forbes

To compute g from an empirical Lorenz curve, one generated by discrete data points (our case), we can use the formula: g= frac{n+1}{n} - frac{2sum_{1}^{n+1-i xi)x_{i}}{n+1-i x}^{n}x_{i}}{nsum_{here the (x_{i}) are the popularity differences ordered from least to greatest and n is the number of popularity differences calculated.

EPJ Data Science

Place your outstanding debt in order from "least" to "greatest" in terms of their balance.

Huffington Post

In order from least to greatest threat, they are ranked as: marginal, slight, enhanced, moderate and high.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

The Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) is a 16-item survey that assesses the severity of the most common post-concussion symptoms on a scale of 0 to 4, with a total score range from 0 to 64 (least to greatest symptom severity).

Sports Medicine - Open

We avoid the deeper confrontation with a God-given identity that speaks to truth deep within each one of us (Psalm 51) and to a heart that is reconciled, where we shall no longer "teach" or "say to each other: Know the Lord" for we shall all know God from the least to the greatest (Jeremiah 31 31-34), from the insider to the outsider, from national to foreigner.

Huffington Post

The item impact was determined from the proportion of patients who identified it as important, and the mean importance score [ranging from 1 (least) to 5 (greatest)] attributed to this item (impact score = frequency cited × importance).

BMC Pediatrics

The impact of items was calculated based on the proportion of patients who indicated each as important, multiplied by the mean importance score [ranging from 1 (least) to 5 (greatest)] indicated for this item (impact score = frequency cited × importance) [ 15].

BMC Infectious Diseases

Here, in order from least-great to best, is my assessment: INTERNET EXPLORER 8 After years of lagging behind other innovators, Microsoft has finally released a browser that's a pleasure to use.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing someone to organize data, clarify the specific attribute you're using to determine "least" and "greatest". For instance, "Order the products from least to greatest by price."

Common error

Avoid using "from least to greatest" when a descending order is intended. This phrase specifically indicates an ascending sequence. For descending order, use "from greatest to least".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "from least to greatest" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating the direction or method of ordering a set of items. As shown in Ludwig, it specifies an ascending sequence based on value or magnitude. Ludwig AI confirm the correctness of its usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

42%

Wiki

25%

News & Media

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Academia

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "from least to greatest" is a prepositional phrase used to describe an ascending order arrangement. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and frequently used across diverse contexts, including science, news media, and general writing. While similar phrases like ""in ascending order"" and "from smallest to largest" exist, "from least to greatest" maintains a balance between formal and informal language, making it versatile for various writing needs. Remember to use this phrase when you want to indicate a sequence that increases in value or magnitude.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in ascending order

Changes the structure to a prepositional phrase indicating direction.

from smallest to largest

Substitutes "least" and "greatest" with more direct size descriptors.

in increasing order

Replaces the preposition "from" with "in" and uses "increasing" to denote the direction.

ranging from the lowest to the highest

Emphasizes the range and uses explicit terms for extremes.

arranged from minimum to maximum

Uses formal terms "minimum" and "maximum" to denote extremes.

sorted in ascending fashion

Adds a formal tone with "fashion" and uses "ascending".

ordered from inferior to superior

Employs "inferior" and "superior" to suggest a hierarchical arrangement.

progressing from less to more

Focuses on the progression from a smaller quantity to a larger one.

organized from bottom to top

Uses spatial terms to indicate the ordering direction.

sequenced from first to last

Highlights the sequential nature of the ordering process.

FAQs

How do I use "from least to greatest" in a sentence?

Use "from least to greatest" to describe an ordering process where items are arranged starting with the smallest or lowest value and increasing to the largest or highest. For example, "List the numbers "in ascending order", going "from least to greatest".

What's the difference between "from least to greatest" and "from smallest to largest"?

While both phrases indicate an ascending order, "from smallest to largest" typically refers to physical size or quantity. "From least to greatest" can apply more broadly to values, importance, or any measurable attribute. They are often interchangeable, but context matters.

Which is correct, "from least to greatest" or "in ascending order"?

Both "from least to greatest" and ""in ascending order"" are correct and convey the same meaning. The choice depends on the desired tone and style of your writing. "From least to greatest" is more conversational, while "in ascending order" is more formal.

What can I say instead of "from least to greatest" to sound more formal?

To achieve a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "in increasing order", "in ascending fashion", or "arranged from minimum to maximum."