over and above everything else

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over and above everything else" is correct and can be used in written English.
This phrase is typically used to refer to an additional factor beyond the other elements mentioned. For example: "I'm extremely grateful for your generous donation, over and above everything else."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Over and above everything else, we see some frankly ripe acting.

The Guardian - Film

With so many pressing problems besetting wildlife and the environment, why this one issue over and above everything else?

The New York Times

Here, again, the concerns of voters in mythical Middle England had led to a focus on promoting owner-occupation over and above everything else.

The Guardian - Opinion

While Plath's poetic subject was, over and above everything else, herself, Hughes externalized his feelings: his poetry spoke of nature, landscape, myth, blood, magic.

The New York Times - Books

"What he represented to me, in terms of everything that he stood for, over and above everything else, would be: don't sell out what you truly believe in.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But our investment thesis is based on looking for something that really stands out and is wildly ambitious over and above everything else that's out there.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

It is a city of diplomacy, tradition, of many churches, and, above everything else, strong family ties.

The New Yorker

He added: "The Labour party is always a party that believes in peace and internationalism above everything else.

The Guardian

And looming above everything else is the reauthorization of the highway bill in 2009.

Forbes

"But this one, this is head and shoulders above everything else".

Science Magazine

By contrast, tribes place commitment to values, beliefs and loyalty above everything else including winning.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "over and above everything else" when you want to highlight an additional factor that is even more important than previously mentioned considerations. It adds emphasis and clarifies priorities.

Common error

Avoid using "over and above everything else" when simply listing items of equal importance. This phrase is best reserved for situations where one element significantly outweighs the others in importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over and above everything else" functions as an adverbial phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it modifies a verb or clause to indicate that something is of the utmost importance or an additional consideration beyond all others. This is verified in Ludwig's examples which show it used to emphasize priorities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Academic

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "over and above everything else" is an adverbial phrase used to emphasize a factor that holds greater importance than all other considerations. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and can be used in written English to highlight significance or add an important element. It is most frequently found in News & Media, and serves to signal prioritization. Although its usage is not very common, when used correctly it can enhance the clarity and impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than anything else

Emphasizes the priority of one thing over all others, similar to giving it utmost importance.

above all else

Highlights the supreme importance of something, making it the top priority.

most importantly

Draws attention to the most significant point, similar to placing emphasis.

primarily

Focuses on the main or most important aspect, omitting the 'additional consideration' nuance.

paramountly

Indicates that something is of the highest importance, but less common usage.

chiefly

Indicates the main reason or element, reducing the 'additional' aspect.

more significantly

Implies greater importance, but it is less emphatic and complete.

before anything else

Highlights the temporal order or priority of one thing before everything else, not just importance.

especially

Highlights something noteworthy, but does not signify primacy like "over and above everything else".

in particular

Emphasizes a specific element, not necessarily with the same weight of importance.

FAQs

What does "over and above everything else" mean?

It means that something is more important than all other considerations. It emphasizes a priority or adds an element of greater significance to a situation.

How can I use "over and above everything else" in a sentence?

For example, you could say, "The company values customer satisfaction "over and above everything else", including short-term profits."

What can I say instead of "over and above everything else"?

You can use alternatives like "more than anything else", "above all else", or "most importantly" depending on the context.

What is the difference between "above all else" and "over and above everything else"?

While both emphasize importance, "over and above everything else" can suggest an additional, surpassing consideration, whereas "above all else" focuses solely on the highest priority.