medley of both

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "medley of both" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is redundant because "medley" implies a mixture, so "both" is unnecessary. Example: "The concert featured a medley of popular songs from the 80s."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

That led to a medley of both excitement and unease.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

They're a generous attempt to orchestrate a varied medley of tastes both more and less familiar.

The New York Times - Food

With projections and a group of actors, including more tearing through walls, Mr. McBurney creates vivid vignettes of clubs, skyscrapers, a brothel (including the amusing Hilary Summers as the madam Mother Goose), a stock market crash and Tom's medley of sexual partners (both women and men).

The New York Times - Arts

It's also a masterful medley of sounds that are both dance-centric yet flowing with light levels of pop sensibilities.

Vice

Workers in wood industries are exposed to variable medleys of chemicals, both natural and synthetic.

Environmental Health Perspectives

She looked the word bigarurre up and found that it meant both "a medley of sundry colors running together" and "a discourse running oddly and fantastically, from one matter to another".

Vice

A Medley of Weather Lore.

Nature

Singing a medley of sea shanties.

The Guardian - Sport

Rise Up regulars come for a medley of reasons.

Princeton University

The first room is a medley of colorful, amateurish work.

The New York Times

(Try the roasted medley of purple, white and orange varieties).

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Omit "both" after "medley" as it's inherently implied that a medley consists of multiple elements. Instead, focus on describing the specific elements or characteristics of the medley.

Common error

Avoid using "both" after "medley". A medley already implies a mixture or combination of things. Using "both" is unnecessary and makes the sentence sound awkward. Instead of saying "medley of both", simply state "medley of" followed by the items in the mixture.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "medley of both" functions as a noun phrase intended to describe a combination of elements. However, due to the redundancy pointed out by Ludwig, it is grammatically incorrect. The word "medley" itself implies a mix, rendering "both" superfluous.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "medley of both" aims to describe a mixture of elements, it's considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "both". As Ludwig AI clearly states, "medley" inherently implies a combination, making "both" unnecessary. For clearer and more precise writing, it's best to stick to "medley of" followed by the specifics of what the medley contains or use alternatives like "assortment of" or "combination of". While the phrase might appear in various contexts, especially in news and media, avoiding it will improve the accuracy and professionalism of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

medley of diverse elements

Emphasizes the variety within the collection.

assortment of varied items

Focuses on the diverse nature of the assembled items.

combination of different things

Highlights the act of combining distinct elements.

mixture of various components

Stresses the mixing of different components.

collection of assorted objects

Underlines the varied nature of the collection.

range of multiple options

Highlights the breadth of available choices.

selection of various types

Emphasizes the variety in the selected items.

array of mixed influences

Focuses on the blending of different influences.

patchwork of combined styles

Highlights the joining of diverse styles.

amalgamation of mixed traditions

Stresses the blending of varied traditions.

FAQs

Is "medley of both" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "medley of both" is redundant. The word "medley" already implies a mixture of multiple items, so adding "both" is unnecessary. It's better to say "medley of" followed by the items in the collection.

What can I say instead of "medley of both"?

You can simply say "medley of" followed by the elements that comprise the medley. Alternatives include "assortment of", "combination of", or "mixture of", depending on the specific context.

How do I properly use "medley of" in a sentence?

Use "medley of" to describe a collection of different items or elements. For example: "The concert featured a medley of popular songs." or "The salad was a medley of fresh vegetables."

What's the difference between "medley of" and "variety of"?

"Medley of" suggests a carefully combined or arranged mixture, often used in music or food. "Variety of" simply indicates a range of different items, without necessarily implying a specific arrangement or combination. Use "variety of" when describing a general assortment.