of a kind

USAGE SUMMARY

"of a kind" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that is similar to other things but unique in its own way. For example: "His paintings are of a kind that I have never seen before."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

One of a kind.

The New York Times

Another revolution, of a kind.

The New Yorker

"She's one of a kind".

The New York Times

"He's one of a kind".

The New York Times

It's one of a kind.

The New York Times - Sports

Win was one of a kind.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Often they were one-of-a-kind.

The Economist

She was one-of-a-kind.

The New York Times

A one-of-a-kind boutique?

Forbes

"He is one of a kind".

The New York Times - Sports

To compare the response latency to start a new trial after winning (four-of-a-kind) and losing (one-of-a-kind, two-of-a-kind, and three-of-a-kind) trials, a one-way ANOVA with repeated measures across Trial Type (one-of-a-kind vs. two-of-a-kind vs. three-of-a-kind vs. four-of-a-kind) was conducted.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "of a kind" to emphasize that something shares characteristics with others but still possesses unique attributes.

Common error

Avoid using "of a kind" when you want to express absolute uniqueness without any similarity to others. In such cases, use "unique" or "one-of-a-kind" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of a kind" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying a noun to indicate that something belongs to a particular category or possesses certain characteristics. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

83%

Wiki

7%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "of a kind" is a versatile adjective phrase used to describe something that shares characteristics with others but possesses unique qualities. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly used, especially in news and media contexts. When aiming for absolute uniqueness, consider alternatives like "unique" or "one-of-a-kind". Remember to utilize "of a kind" to emphasize nuanced similarities while highlighting individual distinctions, as observed in Ludwig's diverse examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one-of-a-kind

Reinforces absolute uniqueness and irreplaceability.

unique

Emphasizes singularity and unparalleled nature.

distinctive

Highlights the quality of standing out from others.

uncommon

Indicates rarity and infrequency.

rare

Suggests scarcity and limited availability.

peculiar

Highlights strangeness or unusualness.

similar to

Highlights resemblance or shared characteristics.

typical

Denotes conformity to a standard or norm.

ordinary

Implies lack of distinction or special qualities.

like others

Emphasizes similarity to a group or category.

FAQs

How can I use "of a kind" in a sentence?

You can use "of a kind" to describe something that shares similarities with others but has unique characteristics. For example, "That sculpture is "one-of-a-kind", blending modern and classical styles."

What's the difference between "of a kind" and "one-of-a-kind"?

"Of a kind" suggests belonging to a certain type while possessing unique features. "One-of-a-kind" implies absolute uniqueness, with no identical match. You can use "unique" if you're aiming for total distinctiveness.

What can I say instead of "of a kind"?

Alternatives include "distinctive", "unique", or "uncommon" depending on the specific context and the degree of similarity or uniqueness you want to convey.

Is it correct to say something is "very of a kind"?

While grammatically possible, it is uncommon. It's better to emphasize the specific unique attributes directly or use stronger alternatives like "distinctive" or "unique".