mainly exclusively

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly exclusively" is not correct and is redundant in written English.
You can use it when trying to emphasize that something is primarily and solely focused on a particular aspect, but it is better to choose one of the terms. Example: "The event is mainly exclusively for members of the organization."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As expected, LLR frogs of both sexes made mainly or exclusively L gametes while LRR frogs made almost exclusively R gametes (Table 3, Additional file 2, Additional file 3).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The lowest values are for cluster 1, 6 and 15, which mainly or exclusively consist of accessions with only one species label, e.g. cluster 15, which contains only S. okadae accessions, has an Fst of 0.0029.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Of 35 respondents, 71% stated they used mainly or exclusively externally developed software whereas 23% relied mainly but not exclusively on internally developed software.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Thus, the differences between the phylogenetic results based on mitochondrial data and the phylogenomic analysis based mainly or exclusively on nuclear data cannot be attributed to stochastic errors alone.

BMC Genomics

Most students don't qualify for such large grants and thus live off mainly or exclusively off scant maintenance loans capped at £3,400p/a.

Independent

Nomination and remuneration committees are increasingly composed mainly or exclusively of non-executives; audit committees, with the key role of monitoring a company's financial position and its exposure to risk, also need a majority of independent members.

The Economist

Houellebecq's spokesmen insist that sex is not merely an aspect of life, or merely one of its pleasures: "All energy is of a sexual nature, not mainly, but exclusively, and when the animal is no longer good for reproducing, it is absolutely no longer good for anything".

The New Yorker

On the other hand some epileptic syndromes have mainly or exclusively nocturnal seizures and others show awakening related seizures.

Revista Médica Clínica Las Condes

It remains to be determined whether such effects are clinically important and whether or not they are mediated mainly or exclusively by KIR HLA class I interactions.

Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology

It is characterized by abnormal, involuntary movements of the hand that occur mainly or exclusively with writing, with overflow to muscles that are not normally involved in this task.

Encyclopedia of Neuroscience

A group containing lots of altruists, each ready to subordinate their own selfish interests for the greater good of the group, may well have a survival advantage over a group composed mainly or exclusively of selfish organisms.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Choose either "mainly" or "exclusively" to avoid redundancy. Using both together doesn't add value and can confuse your message.

Common error

Avoid using both "mainly" and "exclusively" together because they have similar meanings. Using one or the other will make your writing clearer and more effective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly exclusively" functions as an adverbial modifier, attempting to emphasize the degree or extent to which something occurs. However, Ludwig AI points out that this combination is generally considered incorrect due to redundancy, as the meanings of "mainly" and "exclusively" overlap.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "mainly exclusively" is generally considered incorrect due to redundancy. As Ludwig AI indicates, combining "mainly" and "exclusively" creates an awkward expression with overlapping meanings. It is recommended to choose either "mainly" or "exclusively" depending on whether you want to convey a primary focus or a sole focus, or use alternative terms like "primarily", "chiefly", or "solely" for clearer and more effective communication. Its usage is practically non-existent in authoritative sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Primarily exclusively

Replaces "mainly" with "primarily" maintaining a focus on the principal aspect, while exclusively emphasize it as being the only one.

Chiefly exclusively

Substitutes "mainly" with "chiefly", denoting the most important or common element alongside exclusivity.

Mostly exclusively

Uses "mostly" in place of "mainly", indicating a large proportion with the element of exclusivity.

Almost exclusively

Indicates something is happening in nearly every case, if not entirely.

Solely

Indicates something is happening in only one case.

Principally

Indicates what is most important or fundamental.

Predominantly

Expresses the idea that something is the strongest or main element.

Exclusively

Indicates what is the only thing involved.

Primarily

Focuses on the most important aspect.

Chiefly

Indicates the main element of focus.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "mainly exclusively"?

No, the phrase "mainly exclusively" is redundant because "mainly" and "exclusively" have overlapping meanings. Choose one or the other for clarity.

What does "exclusively" mean, and how does it differ from "mainly"?

"Exclusively" means solely or only, while "mainly" means primarily or mostly. Using "exclusively" indicates that something is the only factor, whereas "mainly" suggests it's the primary but not necessarily the sole factor.

How can I rewrite a sentence that uses "mainly exclusively" to be more concise?

Replace "mainly exclusively" with either "mainly" or "exclusively" depending on whether you want to convey a primary focus or a sole focus. For example, instead of saying "The event is mainly exclusively for members", you can say "The event is mainly for members" or "The event is exclusively for members".

What are some alternatives to "mainly" and "exclusively" that I can use separately?

Alternatives to "mainly" include "primarily", "mostly", or "chiefly". Alternatives to "exclusively" include "solely", "only", or "purely".