more common than

USAGE SUMMARY

"more common than" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it to compare the relative frequency of two things or ideas. For example, "Organic food is becoming more common than processed food in urban areas."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The Problem Is More Common Than You Think.

Huffington Post

Greek was more common than Latin.

The New York Times - Arts

"At least more common than the opposite".

The New Yorker

However, some are more common than others.

Independent

"It's more common than you think".

The New York Times

"It's very common — more common than not".

The New York Times

It is far more common than acknowledged.

The New York Times

"It's far more common than people think".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Now it's more common than a toilet.

The New York Times

Depression is a lot more common than most people think.

The Guardian

Well, these fears are more common than you think.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "more common than", ensure you're comparing items of the same category for a meaningful comparison. For example, compare diseases to diseases, not diseases to treatments.

Common error

Avoid using "more common than" without specifying what it is being compared to. Saying "This is more common" leaves the comparison incomplete and can confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more common than" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It's used to indicate that one thing occurs or exists with greater frequency or prevalence compared to another. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms it is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English and provides numerous examples of its use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

29%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Lifestyle

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "more common than" is a versatile phrase used for comparing the prevalence or frequency of two distinct subjects. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across diverse contexts, especially in news and scientific domains, establish its reliability. When employing this comparative phrase, remember to ensure a clear and complete comparison to maintain clarity and avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as ""more prevalent than"" or "more frequent than" can offer nuanced variations in meaning, depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more prevalent than

Focuses on the widespread existence of something over something else.

more frequent than

Highlights the higher occurrence rate of one thing compared to another.

occurs more often than

Emphasizes the repeated happening of something more than something else.

more widespread than

Indicates a broader distribution or reach compared to something else.

more usual than

Suggests something is the standard or expected occurrence rather than another.

more typical than

Implies something is representative of a norm compared to something else.

more abundant than

Highlights a greater quantity or supply of something in relation to another.

outnumbers

Directly states that one thing exceeds another in number.

exceeds in frequency

Formally indicates a higher rate of occurrence.

more customary than

Emphasizes that something is established by long usage and accepted practice over something else.

FAQs

How can I use "more common than" in a sentence?

Use "more common than" to compare the frequency of two things. For example, "Online shopping is "more common than" traditional shopping these days".

What's a formal alternative to "more common than"?

In formal writing, you could use "more prevalent than" or "more frequent than" as alternatives to "more common than". For instance, "The disease is "more prevalent than" previously believed".

Which is correct: "commoner than" or "more common than"?

"More common than" is the grammatically correct and widely accepted form. While "commoner than" might be understood, it's less standard and less frequently used.

Is "more common than" subjective or objective?

The phrase itself is objective; however, its application can be subjective depending on the context and available data. Ensure you have data or evidence to support your claim that something is "more common than" something else to avoid subjectivity.