number one concern

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "number one concern" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the most important issue or priority in a given context. Example: "The safety of our employees is our number one concern during this project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The number one concern on the minds of New Yorkers is the economy.

Huffington Post

Regardless of whether Romney's concepts made sense or not, he was big on clarifying that his number one concern was bringing jobs back to America.

Vice

There's still no clarity on [free movement] and it's still my number one concern.

TechCrunch

"My player's number one concern was that she didn't want to be on camera," Black said.

Vice

The number one concern that voters have about charters is the impact on neighborhood schools.

HuffPost

Concrete Fabricators has made safety its number one concern; our employees and our customers expect to be safe on the job.

Bplans

Speaking of getting home safely, if you have a "baby on board," or any child for that matter, safety is your number one concern when transporting them.

Forbes

If a certain topic has been the number one concern of consumers for 13 years running, a renewed and continued focus on it would seem appropriate.

Forbes

That is our number one concern.

The Guardian

What is a cutomer's number one concern?

The Guardian - Business

Health is my number one concern and it helps to have articles like this.

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "number one concern" to clearly and directly highlight the most critical issue in a discussion or analysis. This ensures that the audience understands the primary focus.

Common error

Avoid using "number one concern" excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your language by using synonyms like "top priority" or "main concern" to maintain reader engagement and prevent redundancy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "number one concern" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject complement or object of a sentence. It identifies the most significant issue or priority, as validated by Ludwig and its extensive examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "number one concern" is a common and grammatically sound noun phrase used to highlight the most critical issue at hand. As Ludwig's analysis shows, this phrase appears frequently in news, science, and business contexts, conveying a neutral tone. While alternatives like "top priority" and "main concern" exist, "number one concern" effectively emphasizes the urgency or importance of a matter. Remember to use this phrase judiciously to avoid redundancy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

top priority

Emphasizes importance using 'priority' instead of 'concern'.

main concern

Uses 'main' as a simpler synonym for 'number one'.

primary concern

Replaces "number one" with "primary", indicating the principal issue.

chief concern

Uses "chief" to denote the highest level of importance.

foremost concern

Highlights the issue that comes before all others.

biggest worry

Shifts from "concern" to "worry", implying anxiety about the matter.

major preoccupation

Uses "preoccupation" to suggest a dominating thought or focus.

principal focus

Replaces 'concern' with 'focus', indicating the main point of attention.

central issue

Highlights the core problem or matter at hand.

overriding consideration

Stresses that the concern takes precedence over other factors.

FAQs

How can I use "number one concern" in a sentence?

You can use "number one concern" to emphasize the most important issue. For example, "The company's "number one concern" is the safety of its employees."

What are some alternatives to "number one concern"?

Alternatives include "top priority", "main concern", or "primary concern". The choice depends on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it appropriate to use "number one concern" in formal writing?

Yes, "number one concern" is appropriate for formal writing. However, consider using more sophisticated synonyms like "foremost concern" or "overriding consideration" for added nuance.

What's the difference between "number one concern" and "top priority"?

While both phrases indicate importance, "number one concern" often implies a sense of worry or urgency, while "top priority" simply denotes what is most important to address. The nuance depends on the specific situation.