quality over quantity

USAGE SUMMARY

"quality over quantity" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as an idiom to emphasize the importance of focusing on quality instead of quantity. For example, you could say, "I believe that when it comes to work, it's important to focus on quality over quantity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's quality over quantity".

The New York Times

Reasoning — quality over quantity.

The New York Times

"We wanted quality over quantity.

The New York Times - Sports

You emphasize quality over quantity.

The Guardian - Business

So Ubuntu offers quality over quantity.

The Economist

"We are focused on quality over quantity," he said.

The New York Times

He had opted for "quality over quantity," he said.

The New Yorker

"It is all about quality over quantity," he says.

The Guardian

"I tried to ride quality over quantity," he said.

The New York Times

It is the music prize that purports to reward quality over quantity.

The Guardian - Music

But even with that cloud looming, Netflix's quality over quantity was the theme.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When managing projects, use "quality over quantity" to guide decisions, ensuring that team efforts are directed toward delivering exceptional results rather than simply completing tasks quickly.

Common error

Avoid using "quality over quantity" as a justification for prolonged delays or perfectionism that prevents project completion. Balance the pursuit of excellence with realistic deadlines and efficient workflows.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quality over quantity" serves as a comparative expression. It's used to advocate for the prioritization of high-grade attributes when compared to the amount of it, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples. This phrase can also function as a guiding principle or motto in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Wiki

34%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "quality over quantity" is a common English idiom that promotes prioritizing excellence instead of sheer volume. Ludwig's analysis confirms its wide use across various sectors like news, media, and even scientific contexts. This phrase is grammatically sound and is used to suggest that one should focus on the grade of the work rather than just the amount produced. When using this phrase, remember to make the pursuit of perfection with efficiency, to avoid inaction due to excessive focus on perfection. Ludwig AI confirms that "quality over quantity" is correct and usable in written English, particularly as an idiom.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excellence before abundance

Emphasizes prioritizing top-tier quality before considering producing large quantities.

superiority over volume

Indicates that a higher grade of something is more important than the total amount.

value over mass

Focuses on the importance of the worth or benefit derived, rather than the sheer number or bulk.

importance of substance over size

Highlights that the actual content or essence is more crucial than the physical dimensions or extent.

focus on depth not breadth

Suggests concentrating on thoroughness and detail instead of widespread but superficial coverage.

prioritize substance over scale

Highlights the act of giving precedence to genuine content, or importance, instead of size or extent.

merit over multitude

Highlights the need for recognizing high achievement, or being deserving of praise, instead of having many.

significance over scale

Focuses on the importance of consequences, or having an effect, instead of size or extent.

selectivity over profusion

Indicates choosing carefully and discriminatingly, rather than producing a large amount of something.

refinement before replication

Focuses on enhancing or improving something instead of copying or reproducing it.

FAQs

How can I use "quality over quantity" in a sentence?

You might say, "In our approach to content creation, we prioritize "quality over quantity", focusing on engaging and informative articles rather than a high volume of superficial posts."

What's an alternative to saying "quality over quantity"?

You could use phrases like "excellence before abundance", "superiority over volume", or "value over mass" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it always better to choose "quality over quantity"?

While prioritizing "quality over quantity" is often beneficial, the best approach depends on the situation. Sometimes, a balance is needed. For example, in early-stage product development, rapid iteration ("quantity over quality") can be valuable for gathering user feedback quickly.

How does "quality over quantity" apply to personal development?

In personal development, "quality over quantity" suggests focusing on meaningful experiences and deep learning rather than trying to accumulate numerous superficial achievements or shallow relationships. It is better to have a few, solid long term relationships than many short-term shallow ones.