lowest priority

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lowest priority" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is considered the least important or urgent in a given context. Example: "In our project timeline, the design phase is assigned the lowest priority compared to the development and testing phases."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The problem is that educational applications are our lowest priority.

The New York Times - Tech

Applicants for dissertation research abroad receive the lowest priority.

University of California, Berkeley

The truth is, Tom's class is my lowest priority.

The Guardian

All of which means that Twenty20 cricket is England's lowest priority for the moment.

The Guardian - Sport

"This policy was about the lowest priority in the firm," Mr. Buell argued.

The New York Times

While voters consider marijuana arrests the "lowest priority," Mr. DiCroce called them "not high-priority".

The New York Times

The earliest years - once the lowest priority - are now rightly becoming amongst the highest priorities.

The Guardian

Data monetization programs had the lowest priority and the lowest percentage of success (27%).

Harvard Business Review

Lowest priority are packaged foods, since they are highly processed even if they're organic.

The Washington Post

"The problem is that our lowest priority conflicts with our highest one," he said.

The New York Times

"This has always been the lowest priority in the division; it still is the lowest priority in the division," said James Hauswirth, who retired from the Phoenix office in 1999 but stays in contact with other agents.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lowest priority", ensure it's clear what the higher priorities are to provide context.

Common error

Avoid using "lowest priority" when you intend to convey something is completely unimportant or irrelevant. Use alternative phrases like "not a concern" or "irrelevant" for stronger dismissal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lowest priority" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a predicate nominative or an object of a preposition. It identifies something as being the least important among a group of items or tasks. This is evident from the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lowest priority" is a versatile term used to denote the item or task with the least importance in a given set of priorities. As Ludwig's analysis indicates, it's grammatically sound and frequently used across diverse contexts, from scientific research and news reporting to everyday conversations. While generally neutral in tone, it's essential to ensure the higher priorities are clear for context. When you need an alternative, consider phrases like "least important" or "minimal importance" to further tailor your message. With 67 examples, Ludwig confirms its prevalent use and reliability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

least important

Focuses on the importance level rather than the priority.

bottom priority

Uses "bottom" to emphasize the lowest position in a priority ranking.

minimal importance

Highlights the lack of significance.

secondary importance

Suggests a lower level of importance compared to other items, rather than the absolute lowest.

least urgent

Emphasizes the lack of urgency rather than importance.

low on the list

Indicates a position near the bottom of a list without explicitly stating it's the lowest.

last in line

Implies the final position in a sequence of actions or considerations.

not a priority

States directly that something is not considered important.

deferred action

Indicates delaying an action, implying low priority.

back burner

A less formal idiom indicating something is temporarily set aside.

FAQs

How can I use "lowest priority" in a sentence?

You can use "lowest priority" to indicate that something is the least important or urgent among a set of tasks or concerns. For example, "Cleaning the office is the "lowest priority" this week due to the urgent project deadline".

What can I say instead of "lowest priority"?

You can use alternatives like "least important", "bottom priority", or "minimal importance" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "the lowest priority"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Lowest" is the superlative form of "low", and it requires the definite article "the" when referring to a specific item ranked at the bottom.

What's the difference between "low priority" and "lowest priority"?

"Low priority" indicates something is not very important, while ""lowest priority"" indicates it is the least important of all items being considered.