the majority of

USAGE SUMMARY

"the majority of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to the largest number or part of a group or item. For example, "The majority of people in the United States support the idea of universal health care."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"The majority of I.T.U.

The New York Times - Tech

The majority of Which?

Independent

The majority of you failed.

The New Yorker

"The majority of the building is empty".

The New York Times

@bwadykstra The majority of muslims despise ISIS.

Independent

The majority of the commissioners ignored him.

The New York Times

"The majority of all offenses are minor.

The New York Times

The majority of transgender women don't.

The New York Times

The majority of those counties are rural.

The New York Times

"The majority of fees are conditional".

The New York Times

"The majority of our teachers are adjuncts.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the majority of" when you want to emphasize that more than half of a group or set shares a particular characteristic or opinion. It's suitable for formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Ensure your verb agrees with the noun following "of". For example, use a plural verb when referring to people: "The majority of students are in favor."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the majority of" functions as a determiner phrase, specifying a quantity or proportion that is greater than half of a given group or entity. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its versatility in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

26%

Science

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

7%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"The majority of" is a versatile and frequently used phrase that indicates a quantity or proportion exceeding half of a given group or set. As confirmed by Ludwig, its grammatical correctness and utility across diverse contexts make it a valuable asset in both formal and informal communication. The phrase is used to indicate prevalence or dominance, and functions as a determiner phrase. While adaptable to many registers, it appears most commonly in News & Media, Encyclopedias and Science. Remember to ensure subject-verb agreement with the noun following "of" to avoid common grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

most of

More concise and common in informal contexts.

a greater part of

More formal, highlighting the significant portion.

the greater number of

A more formal and emphatic way of stating "most".

a majority portion of

Slightly redundant but emphasizes the part that constitutes the majority.

a large number of

Emphasizes the quantity rather than the proportion.

the bulk of

Implies the main or largest part, often referring to physical mass but applicable figuratively.

the preponderance of

Indicates a significant overweighting or dominance.

the better part of

Indicates a significant and often preferable portion.

the lion's share of

Idiomatic expression indicating the largest portion.

virtually all of

Suggests almost complete inclusion, stronger than "majority".

FAQs

How can I use "the majority of" in a sentence?

"The majority of" is used to indicate that more than half of a group or set shares a particular characteristic or opinion. For example, "The majority of students preferred the earlier deadline".

What are some alternatives to "the majority of"?

You can use alternatives such as "most of", "a large number of", or "a greater part of" depending on the context and the level of formality you desire.

Is it more appropriate to use "most" or "the majority of"?

"Most" is generally more informal and concise, while "the majority of" is slightly more formal and emphasizes that the proportion is over half. Both are usually acceptable, but /s/the+majority+of might be preferred in academic or professional writing.

Should the verb be singular or plural after "the majority of"?

The verb should agree with the noun that follows "of". If the noun is plural (e.g., "students"), use a plural verb (e.g., "are"). If the noun is uncountable or singular (e.g., "the work"), use a singular verb (e.g., "is").