next most

USAGE SUMMARY

"next most" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to indicate the second most important or significant item or action in a list or sequence. Example: After finishing his first two courses, he focused on the next most challenging subject - advanced calculus.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The next most common word?

The New York Times

Wind is the next most expensive.

The Economist

The next most vulnerable people are Latinos.

The New York Times

Vascular dementia is the next most common.

The Guardian

Brazil, the next most successful country, gets about 7%.

The Economist

Mud .Their next most vivid memory was of noise.

The Economist

The next most important feature is color saturation.

The New York Times

(The next most pirate-packed state is Florida).

The New York Times

The next most comfortable place to be is the constituency.

The Guardian - Opinion

After watering, the next most pressing issue is food.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Their next most important quality is their desperation.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "next most" to effectively transition between points in a discussion, creating a logical flow of information that highlights the relative significance of each item.

Common error

Avoid using "next most" when simply describing the order of events without implying a ranking or comparison. Instead of saying 'He did this, then next most he did that', use 'then' or 'afterward' for a simple chronological sequence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "next most" functions as an adjectival modifier, specifying the degree or rank of a noun. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates the second highest in a sequence. For instance, "The "next most" common reason" identifies the second most frequent cause.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

51%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "next most" is a versatile phrase employed to denote the second highest ranked or occurring item in a series. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage. It's prevalent in various domains including news, science, and general writing, with "science" and "news media" being its most frequent contexts. While it's similar to phrases like "second most" and "subsequently most", it's important to use it accurately to ensure clarity in conveying relative importance or frequency. "Next most" serves as a useful tool for writers to effectively structure information and guide the reader's attention to significant details.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

second most

Replaces "next" with "second", directly indicating the order of importance.

subsequently most

Focuses on the sequential aspect more explicitly than the original phrase.

the second highest

Specifies that the subject is the second largest in magnitude or amount.

the subsequent most

Like 'subsequently', emphasizes the sequence of events or importance.

immediately following most

Adds emphasis to the immediate succession in importance or occurrence.

the following highest

Highlights the ordinal nature of the item's rank in a series.

thereafter most

Indicates a temporal sequence where something becomes most prevalent after something else.

in second place

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate the next highest rank or occurrence.

the runner-up

Implies a competition or ranking scenario, where something is second best.

secondarily

Directly modifies the verb to indicate something happens as a second priority or importance.

FAQs

How can I use "next most" in a sentence?

The phrase "next most" is used to describe the second highest item, characteristic, or event in a sequence ranked by some quality. For example, "After price, durability is the "next most" important factor".

What alternatives can I use instead of "next most"?

You can use alternatives such as "second most", "subsequently most", or "the runner-up", depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "next most" versus "secondly"?

"Next most" implies a ranking or comparison based on a specific attribute (e.g., importance, frequency), while "secondly" simply indicates the second item in a sequence or list without implying relative value.

What's the difference between "next most important" and "most important"?

"Most important" refers to the item with the highest significance, whereas "next most important" refers to the item with the second highest significance, following directly after the "most important" one. Ensure you have properly identified the "most important" item before labeling the subsequent one as ""next most"".