most unique of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most unique of" is not considered correct in standard English usage.
"Unique" means one of a kind, so it cannot be modified by "most" or "very." Example: "This is the most unique painting I have ever seen."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"Lenny was the most unique of them all," Mr. Drucker said.

The New York Times

"I think that will be the most unique of them all.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's the most unique of the collections," said Deborah Martin Kao, curator of photography at the Fogg.

The New York Times - Arts

In the rain, before a crowd dotted with celebrities like Muhammad Ali, this was the most unique of games.

The New York Times

The Red-fronted Coot is perhaps the most unique of the small coots of South America's southern cone.

Cornell University

Bio-pics: A Life in Pictures offers a series of case studies which throw light on this most unique of genres.

Columbia University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

It was an innovative use of Mr. Rove, who arguably brought the most unique point of view of any commentator on cable news.

The New York Times

One of the most unique features of BITNET was the origination of LISTSERV mailing lists.

Encyclopedia Britannica

One of the most unique lessons of Facebook is that most of its stuff's not indexed in Google.

Forbes

It's one of the most unique parts of her personality and one of the reasons people love her music.

WikiHow

'Griffin' for me is one of the most unique pieces of music I've had the pleasure of playing in the past 12 months".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "most unique" directly; instead, opt for "one of the most unique" or an alternative superlative phrase that does not modify "unique".

Common error

Remember that "unique" inherently means one-of-a-kind. Avoid using it with modifiers like "most", "very", or "extremely". Consider using alternative adjectives if you intend to express a high degree of specialness without implying absolute singularity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most unique of" functions as a superlative expression, attempting to identify the most singular item within a set. However, "unique" in its strictest sense means one-of-a-kind, making the modifier "most" logically contradictory. Ludwig provides examples showing common usage, but its AI identifies a grammatical issue.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

28%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Science

16%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While commonly used, the phrase "most unique of" presents a grammatical challenge. "Unique" inherently means one-of-a-kind, rendering the modifier "most" redundant. Ludwig AI analysis indicates a grammatical error. Though prevalent in informal and neutral contexts like News & Media, Academia, and Wiki sources, as demonstrated by Ludwig examples, alternatives like "one of the most unique", "most distinctive of", or "most exceptional of" provide grammatically sound ways to convey a similar meaning. Therefore, it's best practice to favor these alternatives in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one of the most unique

Adds "one of the" to correct the grammatical error.

exceptionally unique

Modifies "unique" with the adverb "exceptionally" instead of "most" to improve the grammar.

remarkably unique

Modifies "unique" with the adverb "remarkably" instead of "most" to improve the grammar.

highly unique

Modifies "unique" with the adverb "highly" instead of "most" to improve the grammar.

most distinctive of

Replaces "unique" with "distinctive", emphasizing characteristic qualities.

incomparably unique

Modifies "unique" with the adverb "incomparably" to emphasize the absence of comparable examples.

most exceptional of

Substitutes "unique" with "exceptional", highlighting superior quality or rarity.

most remarkable of

Replaces "unique" with "remarkable", focusing on noteworthy or significant aspects.

most singular of

Uses "singular" in place of "unique", emphasizing individuality and distinction.

most uncommon of

Replaces "unique" with "uncommon", implying rarity without absolute singularity.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "unique" in a superlative phrase?

Since "unique" means one of a kind, it cannot be modified by "most" or "very". Instead, use phrases like "one of the most unique" or replace "unique" with a gradable adjective like "distinctive".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "most unique of"?

You can use phrases such as "most distinctive of", "most exceptional of", or "one of the most unique" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to say "most unique"?

No, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. "Unique" means "one of a kind", so it doesn't make sense to say something is "most" one of a kind. It's better to say "one of the most unique" or use a different adjective.

What's the difference between saying "most unique" and "one of the most unique"?

Saying "most unique" is redundant because "unique" already implies the highest degree of singularity. Saying "one of the most unique" implies that something is among a group of things that are each very special or unusual.