modest than even

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "modest than even" is not correct in English.
It seems to be an attempt to compare modesty, but the structure is flawed. Example: "She is modest than even her closest friends would expect."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

So, I did it again, this time removing from my circle of friends the chief executive with whom I sometimes play golf, making my savings more modest than even they are, and pretending I spent my weekends at jazz clubs and gigs.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The latest national tests, released last week, show that academic gains since 2003 have been modest, less even than those posted in the years before the law was put in place.

The New York Times

That would suggest they were less than even this modest new funding.

TechCrunch

But the Yankees, even with their more-modest-than-usual lineup, came right back in the bottom of the inning.

The New York Times - Sports

The spending that the president outlined was modest, and even more modest than he and his aides had initially made it sound.

The New York Times

High population growth means than even zero or modest positive overall growth still leads to declining per capita incomes.

BMC Public Health

Now that analysts are actually calculating the effect of the debt swap, that contribution is looking even more modest than originally advertised.

The New York Times

In fact, a "philosophy of nature in accordance with the principles of the Wissenschaftslehre" turns out to me even more modest than Kant's and more closely resembles what later came to be called the philosophy of (natural) science than it does the speculative Naturphilosophie of Schelling and Hegel.

SEP

Whatever ultimately emerges there will be even more modest than the President's proposal and almost certainly will not include the tax increases on wealthy Americans that Obama has advanced.

Huffington Post

At Roseland Ballroom on Friday night the band was earthbound, mostly, but not modest, in a terrific, thrusting show that felt bigger than even this big room.

The New York Times - Arts

Not even Huddlestone, more modest than most about his scoring exploits, will have thought that it would take almost three years for that dare to be won.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express that something is less significant than another, use "more modest than" or "even more modest than" for grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "modest than even" as it's grammatically incorrect. The correct comparative form requires "more" before the adjective, such as "more modest than even anticipated."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "modest than even" attempts to function as a comparative, indicating a lesser degree of something relative to another point. However, this construction is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI shows that the correct comparative form involves using "more" before the adjective.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "modest than even" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct comparative form is "more modest than" or "even more modest than". Although examples can be found, mainly in News & Media contexts, it's crucial to use the accurate phrasing to ensure clear and effective communication. Alternatives such as "even more modest than" or "less impressive than" are recommended for expressing a similar comparison with better grammatical standing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

even more modest than

Uses "more" to correctly form the comparative degree, emphasizing a smaller extent than a reference point.

less impressive than even

Replaces "modest" with "impressive" to alter the quality being compared while retaining the comparative structure.

more unassuming than

Substitutes "modest" with "unassuming", focusing on a lack of pretension rather than size or quantity.

even smaller than

Replaces 'modest' with 'smaller' to focus on size.

less significant than

Replaces 'modest' with 'significant' to focus on importance.

not as substantial as

Uses "not as...as" to show comparison, focusing on the lack of substantiality.

paler in comparison to

Uses "paler in comparison to" to compare the quality in comparison to something else.

more restrained than

Substitutes "modest" with "restrained", focusing on controlled or limited behavior.

not quite as grand as

Uses "not quite as...as" to indicate comparison, focusing on a lack of grandeur.

exceedingly less flashy than

Replaces "modest" with "flashy" and uses 'exceedingly' to emphasize the difference in style or appearance.

FAQs

How can I correctly compare degrees of modesty?

Use the phrase "more modest than" or "even more modest than" to accurately compare levels of modesty. For instance, "His lifestyle was "more modest than" his wealth suggested".

What are some alternatives to "modest than even"?

Instead of "modest than even", you can use phrases like "even more modest than", "less impressive than", or "more unassuming than", depending on the specific context.

Is "modest than even" grammatically correct?

No, "modest than even" is not grammatically correct. The correct comparative form requires the addition of "more" before "modest", as in "more modest than even".

How does "more modest than" differ from "modest than even"?

"More modest than" is the grammatically correct form for comparing modesty. The phrase "modest than even" is considered incorrect. Use ""more modest than"" to ensure your writing is accurate.