more than half of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "more than half of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a certain quantity is greater than half of the total amount. For example, "More than half of the students in the class passed their tests."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

More than half of the building voted.

The New York Times

More than half of them enlisted.

Harvard University

More than half of Americans are overweight.

The New York Times

More than half of it remains unoccupied.

The New York Times

More than half of Americans vote Republican.

The New York Times

More than half of those are obese.

The New York Times - Science

More than half of hospitals are public.

The New York Times

Still, more than half of them died.

The New York Times - Health

More than half of those are wealthy.

The Washington Post

More than half of them aren't.

The Washington Post

More than half of that was profit.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "more than half of", ensure that the context clearly defines the total quantity being referenced. This avoids ambiguity and ensures the statement is easily understood.

Common error

A common mistake is using "more than half of" without a clear reference point. Always specify what the 'half' refers to. For example, instead of saying "More than half are satisfied", specify "More than half of the customers are satisfied."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more than half of" functions as a determiner phrase, specifying a quantity greater than 50% of a given whole. This is supported by examples on Ludwig where it's used to quantify populations, objects, or abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

32%

Academia

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "more than half of" is a versatile phrase used to indicate a quantity exceeding 50% of a whole. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by explicitly stating what the 'half' refers to. Consider alternatives like "a majority of" or "over half of" depending on the desired level of formality or emphasis. The phrase is frequently found in authoritative sources such as The New York Times and BBC, solidifying its legitimacy in both formal and informal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

over half of

A shorter and slightly less formal way to say "more than half of".

over fifty percent of

Replaces the general term "more than half" with a specific percentage, maintaining a very similar meaning.

more than 50 percent of

Includes the numeric percentage to increase precision.

greater than half of

Directly states that the amount is larger than half, maintaining a clear and literal meaning.

a majority of

Indicates that the quantity is greater than half, emphasizing the dominant portion.

at least 51% of

Specifies a minimum percentage to ensure the quantity is definitively over half.

in excess of 50% of

Uses a more formal tone to convey that the quantity surpasses the 50% threshold.

a larger portion than half of

Emphasizes that the portion being described is notably bigger than just half.

most of

Indicates that a large portion, exceeding half, is being referred to.

the greater part of

Uses a more literary or formal style to indicate that the majority is being considered.

FAQs

How can I use "more than half of" in a sentence?

Use "more than half of" to indicate a quantity greater than 50% of a total amount. For example, "More than half of the students passed the exam".

What is a more formal alternative to "more than half of"?

For a more formal tone, you could use "in excess of 50% of" or "greater than half of".

Is there a simpler way to say "more than half of"?

Yes, you can use "most of" or "over half of" as simpler alternatives.

What is the difference between "more than half of" and "a majority of"?

While both indicate a quantity greater than 50%, "a majority of" emphasizes that the quantity is a dominant portion. They are often interchangeable, but "a majority of" might suggest a more significant difference than simply being over half.