more than excellent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more than excellent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something exceeds the standard of excellence, often in a positive context. Example: "The service at the restaurant was more than excellent; it was truly exceptional."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Something more than excellent hair.

The New York Times

Hannah Vassallo (Aurora) and Adam Maskell (Carabosse/Caradoc) were more than excellent.

The New Yorker

However, innovation-driven local economic development depends on much more than excellent research, and whilst excellent work will be done at the new institute, with real economic benefits for the city, the odds are against a graphene-driven Mancunian industrial revolution.

The Guardian

In then determining its own assets, it considered these subsidiary holdings as worth $11 a share and was able to report more than excellent earnings.

Forbes

The often overlooked nuance of this winning solution, and one worth highlighting, is that colleges for women offer more than excellent academics and affordability; these single-sex colleges provide a learning environment conducive to young women.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Turn around and give it a product challenge Build a community video site (Google video), a social network (Google Wave, Buzz and Orkut), an e-commerce platform (Google product search) and Google's offerings are more mediocre than excellent.

TechCrunch

More than 1,000 excellent schools and 200 poor ones have since converted.

The Economist

And in the process, it became something more than an excellent pizzeria.

The New York Times - Food

And our archive of past Travel articles and related slide shows on the Prague travel guide of nytimes.com/travel offers more than enough excellent options.

The New York Times

We had more than 400 excellent entries, from primary, secondary and special schools from across Great Britain, giving the judges a difficult task in selecting the shortlist.

The Guardian

It must be said that not all the new varieties have equal merit, but there are more than enough excellent cheeses to maintain Britain and Ireland in their rightful place in the first rank of the world's cheese-producing nations.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "more than excellent", consider whether a synonym like "superb" or "exceptional" might be more concise and impactful.

Common error

While "more than excellent" is acceptable, avoid overusing it in formal or academic writing. Opt for stronger, more precise adjectives that directly convey the exceptional quality you wish to emphasize.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more than excellent" functions as an intensifying adjective phrase. It modifies a noun by indicating that its qualities surpass the standard definition of "excellent". Ludwig provides real-world examples to support this analysis.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "more than excellent" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to emphasize that something surpasses the standard of excellence. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides contextual examples from reputable sources. While not overly common, it effectively conveys exceptional quality, though users should consider stronger single-word synonyms for conciseness. As noted by Ludwig, be mindful of overuse in formal contexts; synonyms like "superb" or "exceptional" might offer a more impactful tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beyond excellent

Emphasizes exceeding the standard of excellence.

exceedingly excellent

Highlights the high degree to which something is excellent.

exceptionally excellent

Focuses on the rarity and distinctiveness of the excellence.

remarkably excellent

Stresses the noteworthiness of the excellence.

outstandingly excellent

Emphasizes the prominence and superiority of the excellence.

uncommonly excellent

Highlights the infrequency of such excellence.

unusually excellent

Similar to 'uncommonly excellent', focusing on the deviation from the norm.

distinctly excellent

Focuses on the clear and noticeable nature of the excellence.

particularly excellent

Emphasizes a specific instance or aspect of excellence.

singularly excellent

Highlights the uniqueness and individuality of the excellence.

FAQs

What does "more than excellent" mean?

The phrase "more than excellent" means something surpasses the standard of being merely excellent. It implies a superior or exceptional quality that goes beyond expectations.

What can I say instead of "more than excellent"?

You can use alternatives like "beyond excellent", "superb", or "exceptional" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "more than excellent" too informal for academic writing?

While grammatically correct, "more than excellent" might be perceived as less formal. Consider using stronger, single-word adjectives such as "outstanding" or "remarkable" in academic contexts.

How do I use "more than excellent" in a sentence?

You can use "more than excellent" to describe a performance, quality, or characteristic that greatly exceeds expectations. For example, "The chef's culinary skills were more than excellent; they were transformative."