sole winner

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sole winner" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a person or entity that is the only one to win a competition or contest. Example: "After a tense final round, Sarah emerged as the sole winner of the spelling bee."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

Regarding the Iraq War, a US Army report concludes that Iran is the sole winner.

Yale University

Mr. Krugman was the sole winner of the award this year, which includes a prize of about $1.4 million.

The New York Times

Of the three leading indexes, the Nasdaq is the sole winner for the year, up 8.4percentt.

The New York Times

Even his Nobel prize in physiology or medicine, for which he was the sole winner, didn't silence all the critics.

The Guardian

On ABC "Lost" continued to be the network's sole winner on Wednesdays, drawing an audience of 15.71 million.

The New York Times

[New York Post] Five New Jersey construction workers are suing a former colleague who claims he was the sole winner of a $38.5 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

But when religious sectarianism dominates politics, terrorists and extremists emerge as the sole winners.

The Washington Post

There would no longer be a means-tested supplement.In this section A very big headache A simpler dotage No going back Not moving on up Red-faced all over Careful now The One Nation radical ReprintsSavers would be the main, but not sole winners.

The Economist

Only one of the four Premier League sides managed to get a player selected after a disappointing opening round which saw Chelsea emerge as the sole winners thanks to their 4-0 victoverover Maccabi Tel Aviv.

BBC

Clio Barnard was the sole British winner; her second film, The Selfish Giant, a gritty coming-of-age tale about Bradford teenagers won the Critics' Week sidebar.

The Guardian - Film

The screenplay for that film was written by Abi Morgan, who was the sole British winner at the Emmys earlier this year for her script for TV drama The Hour.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sole winner" when you want to clearly emphasize that there is only one winner and no shared victories. For instance, "In this competition, there can be only one sole winner."

Common error

Avoid using "sole winner" when there are multiple winners or shared prizes. Instead, use terms like "winner" or "winning team" to accurately reflect the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sole winner" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or appositive. It identifies the single entity that has achieved victory, emphasizing the exclusivity of the win. Ludwig examples illustrate this function across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Formal & Business

13%

Science

13%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sole winner" is a phrase used to emphasize that there is only one victor in a competition, lottery, or other contest. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently used, especially in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that it accurately reflects the exclusivity of the win and avoid redundancy with terms like "only". Alternatives such as "only winner" or "exclusive winner" may be suitable depending on the context. Remember to reserve "sole winner" for situations where there is truly only one winner, avoiding its use when multiple individuals share the prize or victory.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Only winner

This alternative uses "only" instead of "sole", emphasizing that there are no other winners.

Exclusive winner

Replaces "sole" with "exclusive", highlighting the uniqueness of the winning position.

Single winner

Uses "single" to convey the idea of only one winner, which is slightly less formal than "sole".

Individual winner

Focuses on the winning entity as an individual, emphasizing their unique achievement.

Undisputed winner

Adds the concept of being unchallenged or unquestioned, implying dominance.

Unique champion

Combines the concept of uniqueness with being a champion, emphasizing distinctiveness in winning.

Ultimate victor

Implies a final and decisive win, elevating the sense of achievement.

Lone victor

Replaces "sole" with "lone", emphasizing the isolated nature of the victory.

Unmatched winner

Highlights the absence of equals, focusing on the winner's superiority.

Solitary champion

Similar to "lone victor", this emphasizes the isolation and uniqueness of the winning position in a more formal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "sole winner" in a sentence?

You can use "sole winner" to emphasize that there is only one victor in a competition or lottery. For example: "Mavis Wanczyk, 53, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, is the "sole winner" of the grand prize."

What phrases are similar to "sole winner"?

Alternatives to "sole winner" include "only winner", "exclusive winner", or "single winner". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it redundant to say "the only sole winner"?

Yes, using "the only sole winner" is redundant. The word "sole" already implies that there is only one winner, so adding "only" is unnecessary and can make the sentence sound awkward.

What's the difference between "sole winner" and "co-winner"?

"Sole winner" refers to a situation where there is only one winner. In contrast, "co-winner" indicates that there are multiple winners who share the prize or victory. They are antonyms.