least preferred

USAGE SUMMARY

"least preferred" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used to indicate the least desirable of two or more options. For example, "I liked John and Mary equally, but John was my least preferred choice for the job."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

First we identify participants'-preferred treatments and most preferred attribute categories with the highest scores; we also identified participants' least preferred treatment and least preferred attribute categories with the lowest scores from the conjoint analysis described above.

BMC Health Services Research

According to Ruddell and Hammitt (1987) an immediate refuge is most preferred while prospect dominance is least preferred.

City, Territory and Architecture

The most preferred pathway agrees with the experimentally determined TSE, while the two least preferred pathways differ significantly.

Journal of Molecular Biology

Mr. Brown and Mr. Darling have said that nationalization was their least preferred option.

The New York Times

Similar odours from gay men, however, were the least preferred by heterosexual men and women.

The Economist

As early as May, 2004, newspapers had become the least preferred source for news among younger people.

The New Yorker

Coal and nuclear are least preferred with only a 13% backing each as a top three choice.

The Guardian

Authoritarian leadership is least preferred by the participants (M = 2.45).

Frontiers of Business Research in China

Least preferred are the class of nonexperimental designs, particularly the one-group, pretest-posttest design.

The American Journal of Evaluation

In Table 10, the states are ranked from most to least preferred for each DM.

Environmental Systems Research

Finally, they were asked to rank the ten images from most preferred to least preferred.

Heritage Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "least preferred", ensure you've clearly established the context of preferences to avoid ambiguity. Specify what options are being compared.

Common error

Avoid using "least preferred" in isolation. Always provide a clear reference group or list of alternatives so the reader understands what options are being compared. For example, instead of saying 'This method is least preferred', specify 'This method is the least preferred among options A, B, and C'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "least preferred" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It indicates the item, option, or choice that is considered the least desirable or favored among a set of alternatives. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

28%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "least preferred" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjective phrase to indicate the least desirable option among a set of choices. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, particularly in science, news, and formal business settings. When using this phrase, clarity is key, and it's important to specify the options being compared. While several alternatives exist, such as "lowest preferred" or "least favored", "least preferred" remains a versatile and effective choice for expressing a low level of preference.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lowest preferred

This alternative uses 'lowest' to emphasize the bottom rank in preference, slightly altering the intensity.

least favored

Replacing 'preferred' with 'favored' provides a synonym with a similar connotation.

least favourite

Using 'favourite' (British English) instead of 'preferred' offers a regional variation.

less preferred

While similar, 'less preferred' suggests a smaller difference in preference compared to 'least preferred'.

least desirable

This alternative focuses on the lack of desirability, shifting the emphasis from preference to inherent quality.

worst option

This phrase directly states that something is the worst choice, which can be stronger than indicating a simple lack of preference.

not preferred

This is a simple negation of preference, which can sound less strong than "least preferred".

most disliked

This alternative highlights active dislike rather than just a lack of preference.

bottom choice

This option implies a ranking and designates the last item on that ranking.

unwanted option

This alternative indicates that something is not wanted, which is stronger than simply being the least preferred.

FAQs

How to use "least preferred" in a sentence?

You can use "least preferred" to indicate the option that is the least desirable among a set of choices. For example, "Among the three options, this one is the "least preferred" because of its high cost".

What's the difference between "least preferred" and "less preferred"?

"Least preferred" indicates the absolute lowest level of preference, while "less preferred" simply indicates a lower level of preference compared to something else, but not necessarily the lowest.

What can I say instead of "least preferred"?

You can use alternatives like "least favored", "least desirable", or "lowest preferred" to convey a similar meaning depending on the context.

Is "least preferred" formal or informal?

"Least preferred" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, the formality of the surrounding language will determine the overall tone.