more active than usual

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more active than usual" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation or behavior that is more energetic or engaged than what is typically expected. Example: "Today, the dog seems more active than usual, running around the yard and playing with its toys."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

But this winter, he said, even January and February have been more active than usual.

The New York Times

Still, the wheels of diplomacy have been more active than usual in recent weeks.

The New York Times

I had become hyperaware of the cars around me, and my eyes were more active than usual.

The New York Times

The market was more active than usual because of "quadruple witching," the quarterly settlement and expiration of four different types of September equity futures and options contracts.

The New York Times

Throughout the Nielsen concertos and a galvanic account of the Tchaikovsky symphony, Mr. Gilbert was strikingly vigorous on the podium: not quite Bernstein-level hyperactivity, but far more active than usual for him.

The New York Times - Arts

Chinese censors have been more active than usual in recent days, blocking internet news websites and foreign television broadcasts that are usually allowed in.Mr Liu is a 54-year-old poet and literary critic with a long history of political activism, including a role in China's massive pro-democracy movement of 1989.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Ms. Palmer added: "If we invite the Housewives, they're more active than your usual celebrities.

The New York Times

Our findings, therefore, follow the trend observed in trials of specific psychological therapies, such as cognitive therapy, which have shown that effect sizes are decreased when indices of study quality (such as adequate statistical power and a control condition that is more active than treatment as usual) are controlled for, within cognitive therapy for both depression 33 and psychosis.

British Medical Journal

But the president did take a more active role than usual in determining the qualifications of a prospective scholarship athlete.

The New York Times - Sports

"We found that people who are more physically active have more pleasant-activated feelings than people who are less active, and we also found that people have more pleasant-activated feelings on days when they are more physically active than usual," study researcher Amanda Hyde, a kinesiology graduate student at Penn State, said in a statement.

HuffPost

The animatronics are more active than ever.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a trend or pattern, use "more active than usual" to highlight a deviation from the typical level of activity. For example, "The stock market has been "more active than usual" this week due to the announcement of new economic policies."

Common error

Avoid using "more active than usual" to describe a consistently high level of activity. This phrase is best used to indicate a temporary or recent increase in activity, not a permanent state. For instance, instead of saying "The volcano is always "more active than usual"", specify the period: "The volcano has been "more active than usual" in the past month."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more active than usual" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It modifies a noun by indicating that the noun exhibits a higher degree of activity compared to its typical or expected state. Ludwig examples show it in various contexts, from describing market activity to gene expression.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "more active than usual" is a common and grammatically correct comparative adjective phrase used to describe a higher level of activity than typically observed. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively highlights deviations from the norm across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science. While its register remains neutral, its usage is best suited to describe temporary increases rather than permanent states. When aiming for variety, alternatives like "busier than normal" or "more energetic than typical" can be employed to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

busier than normal

Replaces "active" with "busy" and "usual" with "normal", focusing on the increased workload or activity level.

more energetic than typical

Substitutes "active" with "energetic" and "usual" with "typical", emphasizing the increased energy levels.

more lively than customary

Replaces "active" with "lively" and "usual" with "customary", highlighting the increased vivacity.

more vigorous than expected

Substitutes "active" with "vigorous" and "usual" with "expected", stressing the heightened intensity.

unusually dynamic

Replaces the entire phrase with a shorter, more direct expression of heightened activity.

functioning at a higher capacity

Focuses on the increased functionality or operational level compared to the usual state.

performing with greater intensity

Emphasizes the heightened performance and intensity levels.

operating at an accelerated pace

Highlights the increased speed and pace of activity.

showing heightened engagement

Focuses on the increased level of involvement and engagement.

exhibiting increased animation

Replaces "active" with "animation", emphasizing the heightened expressiveness and liveliness.

FAQs

How can I use "more active than usual" in a sentence?

Use "more active than usual" to describe a temporary increase in activity levels. For example: "The children were "more active than usual" after the sugar rush."

What are some alternatives to "more active than usual"?

Alternatives include "busier than normal", "more energetic than typical", or "unusually dynamic", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "more active than normal" instead of "more active than usual"?

Yes, "more active than normal" is a valid alternative. Both "usual" and "normal" convey a sense of typical or expected behavior, so the phrases are largely interchangeable.

What's the difference between "more active than usual" and simply saying "very active"?

"More active than usual" implies a comparison to a previous state, whereas "very active" describes a current state without direct comparison. "The dog is "more active than usual" today" suggests the dog is more active than it typically is. "The dog is very active" simply states the dog's current activity level is high.