least good

USAGE SUMMARY

"least good" is not grammatically correct and should not be used in written English.
Instead, the correct phrase to use is "least well" or "worst". For example: "This team performed the least well during the competition."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Was that at least good?

The New Yorker

What was the least good thing that could happen?

The New Yorker

Which is at least good news for Labour.

The Guardian - Opinion

And they are good, or at least good enough.

The New York Times

Or at least good candidates for a makeover.

The New York Times

More important, test prep -- at least good test prep -- works.

The New York Times - Magazine

"We knew we were at least good to start".

The New York Times

Why isn't it at least good enough to return a call?

The New York Times

The well-cast voices for the expressionless animals are at least good for a few smirks.

The New York Times

The Corzine covenant is at least good public relations for MF Global and its boss.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

To evaluate, among the elderly, the association of self-rated health (SRH) with mortality, and to identify determinants of self-rating health as "at-least-good".

Maturitas

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "least good" in formal writing. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "worst" or "least effective" to ensure clarity and maintain credibility.

Common error

The phrase "least good" often sounds awkward and is grammatically incorrect. Do not use it in your writing. Instead, consider using "least well" or "worst" to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "least good" functions as a superlative adjective phrase intending to indicate the lowest degree of quality among a set of items. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "least good" attempts to convey the idea of something being of the lowest quality or effectiveness, but it's flagged as grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. While it appears in various sources, including news and media, its usage is infrequent and generally discouraged in formal writing. To maintain grammatical correctness and clarity, alternatives such as "worst", "least effective", or "of the poorest quality" are recommended. Using "least good" can undermine the credibility of your writing, so it's best to opt for more standard and accepted phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

worst

Replaces "least good" with a simpler term indicating the lowest quality.

least effective

Focuses on the lack of effectiveness as opposed to general quality.

of the poorest quality

Formal rephrasing highlighting substandard quality.

subpar

A concise adjective indicating below-average quality.

not the best

A more conversational way of saying something isn't of high quality.

least satisfactory

Emphasizes the failure to meet expectations.

of inferior quality

Highlights the lower standard of the subject.

not up to par

An idiomatic expression indicating inadequacy.

least adequate

Focuses on the insufficiency of something.

at its worst

Highlights the lowest level of performance or condition.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "least good"?

You can use alternatives like "worst", "least effective", or "of the poorest quality" depending on the context.

Is "least good" grammatically correct?

No, "least good" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use "worst" or "least well".

How to use "worst" in a sentence?

You can use "worst" in a sentence like, "That was the worst movie I have ever seen".

What's the difference between "least good" and "worst"?

"Worst" is the superlative form of "bad" and is grammatically correct. "Least good" is grammatically incorrect; thus, "worst" should be preferred.