has primacy over

USAGE SUMMARY

"has primacy over" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to indicate that one thing has a higher priority than another. For example, "In this situation, safety has primacy over efficiency."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

There is a space for a fill or a roll at the end of a musical phrase, but the beat has primacy over the curlicues.

The New Yorker

No one — well, maybe the boss but certainly not our peers — has primacy over, or immunity from, the needy bleat of an incoming text message.

The New York Times

This may have come from increasing the number of match days or possibly matches". An underlying thread throughout the internal policy document is the assumption that club football has primacy over international-team tournaments; that the "primary allegiance" of football supporters is to their club and its players.

The Guardian - Sport

Kant has argued that the Categorical Imperative is the supreme principle of practical reason, and that practical reason has primacy over theoretical reason.

SEP

The only way to bring speculative and practical reason "into that relation of equality in which reason in general can be used purposively" is to affirm the postulates on the grounds that pure practical reason has primacy over speculative reason.

SEP

Both the conventional and the ultimate are actual truths, and since the two natures are mutually interlocking, neither of the two truths has primacy over the other both have equal status, ontologically, epistemologically, and even soteriologically.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

And on the Shia side of the Tigris river, militias have primacy over interior ministry or military forces.

The Guardian

The proposed constitution also states that European Union law will have primacy over that of member states.

The New York Times

Because hierarchical analysis revealed species had primacy over disease clustering, we focused this analysis on the most complete (murine) dataset (n=478).

Stanford University

The constitution confirmed that EU law had "primacy" over national law and gave the EU the power to sign international treaties on behalf of its member countries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It illustrates Feigel's underlying argument that even amid the rubble the demands of personal life usually had primacy over noble projects of reconstruction.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has primacy over" to clearly establish a hierarchy or order of importance between two or more elements. Ensure the context makes it clear why one element is more important than the others.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "has primacy over" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for more relaxed alternatives like "is more important than" or "takes precedence over" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has primacy over" functions as a verbal phrase indicating that something is more important or takes precedence over something else. It is used to establish a hierarchy or order of importance. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has primacy over" is a grammatically correct expression used to indicate that something is more important or takes precedence over something else. Ludwig AI confirms this. With ten examples available, the phrase is considered uncommon but reliably used across various contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business settings. When using "has primacy over", ensure that it clearly establishes the hierarchy and is appropriate for the level of formality required by the context. Related alternatives include "takes precedence over" and "is paramount to", allowing for nuanced expression. While correct, it can sound overly formal in casual contexts so consider more relaxed alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

takes precedence over

Emphasizes order of importance or sequence.

is paramount to

Emphasizes the supreme importance or significance.

takes priority over

Stresses the need to address something first.

outranks

Highlights hierarchical superiority, often in organizational or military contexts.

is superior to

Focuses on inherent quality or value differences.

is preeminent over

Highlights a superior rank or position.

supersedes

Indicates replacement or overriding of a previous rule or decision.

prevails over

Suggests a winning or overcoming of another factor.

dominates

Highlights the controlling influence of one thing over another.

trumps

Implies a definitive win or superior position, often in an informal context.

FAQs

How can I use "has primacy over" in a sentence?

Use "has primacy over" to indicate that one thing is more important or takes precedence over another. For example: "In this company, customer satisfaction "has primacy over" short-term profits."

What are some alternatives to "has primacy over"?

Alternatives include "takes precedence over", "is superior to", or "takes priority over", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Which is correct: "has primacy over" or "takes primacy over"?

"Has primacy over" is generally considered more grammatically sound and stylistically formal. "Takes primacy over" is also used, although less frequently.

What's the difference between "has primacy over" and "is important to"?

"Has primacy over" indicates a hierarchical relationship where one thing is definitively more important than another. "Is important to" simply denotes significance without necessarily implying a comparison or ranking.