greatest than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "greatest than" is not correct in written English.
It is a common mistake, as the correct phrase should be "greater than" when making comparisons. Example: "The value of this asset is greater than that of its competitors."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Williams is also the rare champion who has a significantly better career winning percentage in the majors, where the pressure is usually greatest, than overall winning percentage.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

WINNER: "Greater Than [Live]" — Tye Tribbett.

Los Angeles Times

There's nothing greater than great art.

The New Yorker

She had a vision greater than mine.

The New York Times

"That cause is greater than the Senate.

The New Yorker

It is greater than the government.

The New Yorker

But his loss is greater than that.

The New Yorker

The whole is greater than the sum.

The New York Times

Another 641 received remuneration greater than £200,000.

Independent

"God is greater than Muammar el-Qaddafi.

The New York Times

"The threat is greater than ever".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "greater than" for comparisons. "Greatest" is a superlative, used to identify the largest item in a set, not to compare two items.

Common error

Don't use "greatest than" when you mean "greater than". "Greatest" identifies the item of highest degree within a group (e.g., "the greatest achievement"), while "greater than" makes a comparison between two items (e.g., "this value is greater than that value").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "greatest than" is intended to function as a comparative, aiming to establish a relationship of magnitude or degree between two entities. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "greatest than" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect. The correct comparative phrase is "greater than", used to indicate that one item exceeds another in size, amount, or degree. While instances of "greatest than" can be found, particularly in news and scientific sources, it should be avoided in favor of the grammatically sound alternative. As Ludwig AI confirms, "greater than" is the appropriate choice for making comparisons. Remember, "greatest" denotes the superlative, not the comparative form.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

larger than

Uses "larger", which is a synonym for "greater", maintaining a direct size comparison.

bigger than

Employs "bigger", an informal synonym of "greater", suggesting a size or quantity difference.

more significant than

Focuses on the importance or impact, rather than a numerical comparison.

exceeding

Implies surpassing a limit or standard, rather than a direct comparison of two entities.

surpassing

Suggests outperforming or going beyond a specific level or achievement.

outweighing

Highlights the importance or influence of one thing over another.

of higher magnitude than

Uses more formal language to indicate a greater scale or extent.

superior to

Indicates a higher quality or rank, rather than a simple numerical difference.

outstripping

Implies surpassing in speed or progress, not necessarily in size or quantity.

more considerable than

Emphasizes the degree or extent of something, implying it is noteworthy.

FAQs

What is the correct way to compare two values?

To compare two values, use "greater than", "less than", or "equal to", depending on the relationship you want to express. For example, "Five is greater than three".

When should I use the word "greatest"?

Use "greatest" to identify the largest or most significant item within a group or set. For example, "That was the greatest movie I've ever seen."

Is "greatest than or equal to" grammatically correct?

The phrase "greatest than or equal to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "greater than or equal to". For example, "The age must be "greater than or equal to" 18".

What are some alternatives to "greater than"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "larger than", "bigger than", "exceeding", or "surpassing". For example, "The population is "larger than" expected".