most needless of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most needless of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used as an intensifier to emphasize that something is the most unnecessary or least important item out of a group or category of items. For example: "Of all the tasks I have to do this week, organizing the closet is the most needless of them."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It also added dozens of diversions, the most needless of which was the ability of your controlled character, a young man named CJ, to get fat from eating health-restoring pizza and burgers – fat that could be burned off only by hauling CJ's porky ass down to the gym to ride a stationary bike and lift weights.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

9.43pm BST Quick, make a list of the most needless inventions you can think of.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Most of us, needless to say, don't think of friendships this way.

The New Yorker

Most of it, needless to say, is hot air, flannel and nonsense.

The Guardian

It came almost a decade late, after far too many subsequent deaths, some necessary but most of them needless.

The New Yorker

The goal has… It came almost a decade late, after far too many subsequent deaths, some necessary but most of them needless.

The New Yorker

By George Packer May 1, 2011 It came almost a decade late, after far too many subsequent deaths, some necessary but most of them needless.

The New Yorker

Needless of additional electron transfer (ET) mediating compounds highly improved features of the biosensors.

Applied Surface Science

At the same time, the number of advertisers is falling as the most profligate of them dotcoms, needless to say pull back or go bust.

The Economist

Most of the time, needless to say, the minimum credit score needed to get the mortgages has been increased.

The New York Times

Most of this traffic, needless to say, comes from smartphone usage rather than more basic handsets.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "most needless of" to emphasize the utter lack of necessity for something, especially when contrasting it with other options or actions. For instance, "Of all the possible reactions, anger was the most needless of all."

Common error

Avoid using "most needless of" when a simple "needless" or "unnecessary" would suffice. Overusing intensifiers can weaken your writing. Ensure that the emphasis is truly warranted before using this phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most needless of" functions as a superlative intensifier. It modifies a noun or noun phrase to emphasize that something is the absolute least necessary or most dispensable. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "most needless of" functions as a superlative intensifier, used to emphasize the extreme lack of necessity or importance of something. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, its usage is relatively rare. It appears in both News & Media and Science contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the strong emphasis is warranted and that simpler alternatives are not more appropriate. The phrase serves to highlight an item as the absolute least necessary when compared to others.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most unnecessary of

Replaces "needless" with "unnecessary", emphasizing a lack of requirement.

most pointless of

Substitutes "needless" with "pointless", highlighting the lack of purpose.

most avoidable of

Replaces "needless" with "avoidable", focusing on the possibility of prevention.

most gratuitous of

Uses "gratuitous" instead of "needless", suggesting the action is excessive.

most superfluous of

Employs "superfluous" to indicate redundancy.

least essential of

Focuses on the lack of importance.

most dispensable of

Highlights that something is not necessary and can be removed.

most inessential of

Similar to "least essential", stressing the lack of necessity.

most uncalled-for of

Suggests the action was inappropriate.

most unwarranted of

Indicates a lack of justification.

FAQs

How can I use "most needless of" in a sentence?

Use "most needless of" to emphasize that something is the most unnecessary or least important in a given context. For example, "Of all the tasks, this one is the "most needless of"."

What are some alternatives to "most needless of"?

Alternatives include "most unnecessary of", "most pointless of", or "most avoidable of", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "most needless of" grammatically correct?

Yes, "most needless of" is grammatically correct. It functions as a superlative phrase, emphasizing the degree to which something is unnecessary. Ludwig AI confirms that it is acceptable.

When should I use "most needless of" versus simply "needless"?

Use "most needless of" when comparing multiple items or actions and wanting to highlight the one that is the absolute least necessary. Using just "needless" is appropriate when there's no comparison being made.